Computer-Mediated Communication Magazine / Volume 2, Number 1/ January 1, 1995

Frostbit Print

Eric:

Blame the pace of the medium, maybe. Print is slow, relatively less interactive than network environments. Interaction occurs in print, but each contribution to the conversation is separated by great gobs of temporal real estate: months, usually; often years. That makes for a sloooow, ponderous conversation.

This may be somewhat of an oversimplification, but don't we, in Western culture, make some association between speed and seriousity?

"Zip."

There's a word that denotes quickness. Rollercoasters zip. But it's not the sort of word one typically sprinkles throughout one's scholarly articles. Academic work is supposed to be slow, deep, ponderous, thoughtful, intricately and painstakingly thorough. Slow is good. Serious is good. Zip is popular crap. Scholars may be found zipping around on rollercoasters but only when they are off-duty. ¤

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