Reading and Writing as Human Expression & Connection

Why do we write?

We write, in part, because our own reading was given as a gift to us and we want to extend that same magic we received to others. Here’s Mandy Brown (and my notes) in a recent article:

The more compelling and interesting reason that most writers seek out readers is, I think, less utilitarian: we receive our writing as a gift, and so it must be given in turn. We write because something needs to be expressed through us, and only by giving the writing to a reader is that need fulfilled

You write because something needs to be expressed through you, which is something nobody else in the world can do.

(Contrast this with writing that is expressed through an LLM that everyone else in the world has access to.)

By giving our writing to a reader its is purpose fulfilled.

In other words, reading and writing has traditionally been an act that takes place in the context of people. Its purpose is fulfilled through humans. AI bots could read and write to each other all day long, and what is being “fulfilled” in that scenario?

Reading and writing is for expression and connection between humans. Its purpose is fulfilled in that context. Anything other than this and it is purposeless; that is, done in a way that violates the reason for its existence in the first place.

Does that make sense? I’m trying to make sense of it myself. Maybe there’s something here — maybe not. But Mandy’s piece got me thinking.

Reading and writing is a human-centric exercise because it deals with the interpretation, exchange, and expression of consciousness which is an attribute that machines do not possess — “yet” some will say, and to that I say “lol”.