Spreading the word

Lets briefly examine the difference between the spread of ideas around the world at the turn of the last century (20^th Century) and the current Century (21^st Century). The means to spread a concept, produce an idea and distribute it has accelerated. Phenomenally. It must be difficult to maintain a creative standard, when the work is so rapidly being absorbed. An item can be seen (and in many cases illegally distributed) so rapidly that the idea is familiar, before the opportunity to consider or even develop it further, is made by the artist. In past era’s, a work was observed by a small group and slowly, through word of mouth or, the movement of an item, it was heard of, or sometimes seen by more and more people.

In early times, or so I have read in the works of Plato, he was the Greek, who wrote about Socrates and his ideas. Actually, I often wondered if Socrates really existed, as the only information we have of him, was in the writings of Plato and Aristotle.  I mean, if you wanted to say something, but didn’t want people thinking it was you, create a non-de plume (or a non-de person?). Some people say the same about Shakespeare don’t they? Or was that just a movie too? In the early days, people gathered to hear ideas in a forum. An open public space where information would be announced, presented, debated or argued. Some of these ideas may have been written down by scribes and stored in some places. The great Library of Alexandria for instance (and looked what happened there), but they would also be spread by word of mouth. And here we are, at the issues and advantages of language.

Have you ever played the game called (traditionally in English) ‘Chinese whispers’? Where sitting in a circle, one person whispers a message into the ear of the first person to one side (so others cannot hear it), and they then whisper it to the next, and so on around the circle. It can be played in any language, or so I have been told (except sign language perhaps). If you have never played it, I recommend playing the game just so you can understand what happens. But when the message is unexpected, it is amazing how scrambled it becomes. A classic version is told as a message from the trenches in World War One was passed along the lines, from the embattled sergeant in the field saying “We are going to advance, can you send for re-enforcements? Up through the ranks and various ears and mouths of those in the commands, right up to the four star general. Where, after so many have passed the instruction, along he receives the message as “I’m going to a dance, can you lend me three and four-pence” (an old English Currency). Good communication is essential and language skills vital to aid in development of such ideas, preferably the spreading of good ideas.

(continued tomorrow)