Has Image replaced the Word?

[Vair]

Has Image replaced the Word?

I was first presented with this question in my college cinematography class. The questions provokes discussion over whether or not visual images such as movies, television, and even video games has replaced the written word.

In other words: Is our society so reliant on visual depictions that the word is no longer nearly as necessary as it once was? For that matter does the written word even have meaning any more?

Quoting Arthur W., III Hunt from his book The Vanishing Word: The Veneration of Visual Imagery in the Postmodern World. "The image has replaced modernism's dependency on the written word. Of course, there are other distinguishing features between modernism and postmodernism. As noted in Chapter Four, Neil Postman has argued that people who lived in modernism's print culture possessed a 'typographical mind,' having a "sophisticated ability to think conceptually, deductively and sequentially; a high valuation of reason and order; and the abhorrence of contradiction; a large capacity for detachment and obejctivity; and have a high tolerance for delayed response.' However, the postmodern mind rebels against reason, has an abhorrence toward sustained inquiry, has trouble distinguishing fact from fiction, and has a remarkable ability to hold at the same two ideas that logically contradict each other."

The passage above basically states the differences between our generation and past generations. So we ask ourselves, "Why is this?" The answer is obvious. The introduction of visual imagery such as television and film have removed our reliance from literature and placed it upon visual imagery.

Examples: CNN, FOX News, Sitcoms ((Television's tedency to air fast paced shows.)), Reality Shows, etc. . .

Back to the subject on hand. In your opinion "Has Image replaced the word?"

((I should be doing Chem homework right now, but I am SO bored.))

[Murphie]

Re: Has Image replaced the Word?

No. Image has not replaced the written (or printed, whatever) word. I suppose that it could some day in some far-flung future where people are even lazier than they are today, but as things stand right now? Not so much.

[Caspian]

Re: Has Image replaced the Word?

For entertainment purposes? Yes. Fewer and fewer people prefer to read a book than to watch the movie, or read any book than watch their favorite TV show. I know I do it a lot myself.
For educatioinal purposes? No. Aside from the monetary costs to produce useful educational televisuals, the printed word is far easier to use and serves a greater purpose.
Now, about the entertainment aspect, for the majority of the population its by far more used, but I don't think it will ever totally replace books and magazines. I think there will always be enough of a base that the printed word can be marketed to.

[supersimian]

Re: Has Image replaced the Word?

I don't think so. Books don't need any pictures at all, most would say that a movie about a book is not as good as the book. This is probably becasue most people imaginations are better then TV, atleast people who do not watch much TV. The understanding of symbols (words for instance) are what seperates humans from animals.

[Demo]

Re: Has Image replaced the Word?

Maybe the subject of this thread is the reason why so many young people have difficulties with grammar and punctuation. You can look through any number of these threads on this forum and see evidence of that.

[dirtyclown]

Re: Has Image replaced the Word?

No way. Not for me at least, I often find that I read too much. I never watch tv, and the only movies I see are either DVD releases or in theatres. So other than work, my time is divided up between reading, playing the occasional video game, excercise or trolling for underage wimminz. >.>

[supersimian]

Re: Has Image replaced the Word?

I thought about this and decided to post again as I came up with a though about this question. I stated above that the recognition of symbols and thier meanings is what seperates man from beast, this is essentially true from what I have learned in my studies of the humanities in college. An image , be it a cross, character portrayed by an actor, cartoon character, or any image the represents something has a meaning to a person just as a word does. Since the creation of Television and movie theatres images have in a large part replaced words as the mediam for passing information to people, both given and recieved has shifted heavily towards images on a screen. Take Internet, Television, and movies for instance. After some time thinking about it since I posted in this thread I think for a large part imagery has surpassed the written word. Though I must say that a written word is a symbol just as cross, or image is, it just doesnt carry as much meaning. Images and symbols will never take the place of the spoken word I think. I had not thought this question through enouph before my last post.

[Vair]

Re: Has Image replaced the Word?

However, the postmodern mind rebels against reason, has an abhorrence toward sustained inquiry, has trouble distinguishing fact from fiction, and has a remarkable ability to hold at the same two ideas that logically contradict each other."

I think this is the most interesting issue that is addressed; especially ". . . The postmodern mind rebels against reason, has an abhorrence toward sustained inquiry. . ." I see a great deal of this day to day: "If it takes too long, forget it."

I can safely say that most adults my age (18-20) seem to have forgotten how important the written word is. For example, I was in class the other day and we were doing introductions and in one of the introductions the girl said, "I can't stand to read books, they're so boring." I, personally, fail to see how reading can be considered boring unless it's related to technical text.

Really, it's what I see in my generation that scares me. The baby-boomers are about to retire and we're about to take over. It's all very scary.

[Caspian]

Re: Has Image replaced the Word?

Words and Images do act on our psyche differently, as you pointed out.
Like you said, a single image can bring back memories of our childhood, bring about specific emotions, and cause us to think inwardly on our own lives.
There are very few single words that can do the same. That being said, books usually effect me far more emotionally than any movie. There are the movies that give you that sense of elation and happiness, and the ones that make you depressed as hell, but I've felt both, and to far greater extents with certain books than I've ever experienced with movies or television. For instance, when I was reading the Chronicles of Narnia about 4 years ago, I think I read each book in one night apiece. It'd be late and I'd decide to go to bed. I'd turn off the light, and within 5 minutes I was back up reading another chapter. I can't describe the joy I felt as I read the end of The Final Battle.

[Murphie]

Re: Has Image replaced the Word?

I wanted to like Narnia, but it was difficult to take the book seriously with the heavy handed allegory. It was much more enjoyable when I was a kid (not to say that I didn't enjoy it, but for serious - I gave myself a headache from rolling my eyes).

Anyway, I read a lot. I always have. I used to get in trouble in school for hiding a book in my lap to read while I was supposed to be paying attention. That sucked. But I couldn't help it. From the moment I started to read, I realized that books and I were a natural match. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Even when I was in middle school/high school kids were averse to reading. And we didn't have the internet and 1000 cable channels. I mean, we had cable, and we had video games (gogo SNES), but there wasn't nearly as much out there in terms of visual. Then again, the internet is pretty word-heavy. Just look at the popularity of blogging. I wouldn't take the reluctance of some to use proper grammer on an internet forum to indicate that the written word is dead.