The Importance of Being Important

We have entered a world where everything (no matter how big or small) shrieks to become the most important. It doesn't matter whether you have something vital to say about the state of the economy or just some confused ramblings about the weather out your window; it will be saved for all times.

This means that somewhere out in cyberspace, all things will be saved for posterity. Alongside Homer's or Shakespeare's immortal words will be mine, taking up some small amount of gigabytes. Does this mean that my words are worthy of this honor? Probably not. Just ask anyone in my family, as my words fall constantly around them like so much discarded rubbish.

The ability to be able to put forth ideas and arguments out into the general public is empowering. It is a far cry from the days when journals were kept tucked safely in the sock drawer to enlighten future generations. Now your thoughts flow out of our keyboards into the cyberworld of the Internet without any real struggle, without any effort. Maybe this isn't the way it should be.

We have all been taught about events throughout time where the written word has changed the course of history or at least the course of the next secession to power. It was the power of Martin Luther's words that changed man's understanding of God's grace, William Wilberforce's words that eventually broke the chains that bound slaves to the darkest galleys, and Lech Wałęsa's words that broke man's submission to tyranny. Powerful words that have brought about powerful changes.

I worry about the volume of words that compete with one another to be heard in today's dialog. Words that would have never gotten out of the sock drawer of the past, today clog up cyberspace. I worry that the sheer volume of words out there will cheapen the power that the written word has had in the past. These copious words have produced such a din that when the next powerful idea that could shape our futures for the better comes along, it will never have a chance to be heard.

How can a entire generation shouting to be heard, hear about what is really important? In between Hollywood celebrities and lost girls who are looking to become famous by the amount of babies they bring into this world, can the more nobler ideas of loyalty and sacrifice make it to the forefront?

I can only hope that the next hundred or so years will lessen the din so the truly important ideas can be heard.