Communication Quote by James Gleick
“Writing comes into being to retain information across time and across space. Before writing, communication is evanescent and local; sounds carry a few yards and fade to oblivion. The evanescence of the spoken word went without saying. So fleeting was speech that the rare phenomenon of the echo, a sound heard once and then again, seemed a sort of magic.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Information, Charles Gleick, 2011
Writing preserves knowledge beyond the fleeting nature of speech, allowing ideas to travel across time and space.
In simple terms: Writing keeps ideas alive beyond speech.
Key Takeaway
Use writing to capture and share ideas.
Themes
communication
memory
technology
legacy
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
philosophical
informational
When to use this quote
- academic research
- personal journaling
- digital archiving
Key Concepts
information theory
ephemerality
Questions to Reflect On
- What ideas have you lost without writing?
- How does digital media change this dynamic?
A Different Perspective
Writing cannot fully replace the immediacy of spoken interaction.
