Walter Ong begins his 1977 speech at the National Humanities Institute by talking about oral societies, which rely solely on memory and recall and don’t use writing. This means that searching for knowledge is nonexistent and information is gained only through word of mouth. Ong then highlights the shortcomings of oral civilizations by pointing out that written records are necessary for scientific treatises and organized knowledge. One of the shortcomings mentioned by Ong is the fact that nothing will ever be verbatim.
However, the invention of writing significantly alters how people think and communicate. Writing makes learning arithmetic and practices possible, with readings such as works by Aristotle Aristotle, or medical publications. This introduces progressive learning to humans.
Writing modifies speech, not replaces it, as the speaker points out. Writing was invented by the most talkative people in urban settings. Originally used for record-keeping, writing eventually changed the way people spoke. Societal expectations were changed or set as a result. People who couldn’t turn a speech into a written form were viewed as ignorant.
Next, the focus switches to how print contributed to the development of universal literacy. With the print becoming prominent, communication changed and individuals wrote more than before. The speaker explains how the introduction of print and being able to share it, organization and access to information was forever changed.
The transition from oral cultures to written and printed communication was in a sense a commentary on the shifts in societal norms and expectations. Ong emphasizes the need to embrace new communication methods in order to utilize the old ones effectively emphasizing that the medium is the message.
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