Development of Technology in Printing - Essay Example

Development of Technology in Printing Name Course Tutor Date Development of Technology in Printing Literature can be defined to be the creative writing of recognized artistic value. Similarly, culture can be defined as the tastes in art and manners that are favoured by a social group. Before the invention of printing, people/societies used oral literature to pass their cultures from one generation to the other. Therefore, this paper states and develops an explanation of writing literacy to the social settings of humankind. This paper views the contribution of writing literacy in the modern settings as opposed to the dark era where oral literacy was used. The Technological Root that inspired writing literacy It is important to mention that technology is the root of writing literacy. The invention of writing came from the Chinese following their invention and refinement in coming up with papers. They first came up with ‘rag paper’, which looked like a cloth; it was a plant fibber from barks of the bamboo strips (Costas, 2012). This was followed by silk paper in 105 AD. According to history as per eighteen century, there was a time when Chinese was exploring the Arabic nations. This was against the ruling laws hence if they were caught; they were sentenced to imprisonment (Koops, 2010). During their imprisonment, they contribute to the Arab nations printing ideas. For instance, secrets of crafts that were significant to the Europeans originated from the Chinese. Therefore, one will not be wrong to say that Chinese were the key pioneers of writing literacy. During the same period, many societies preferred to use oral media in their communication. This implies that the Chinese could communicate by use of written text in script. However, before Gutenberg press, Chinese invented the use of ink, movable clay types, and printing blocks that contributed to the advancement in expanding words range of inspirations (Abel, 2012). Therefore, the western nation adopted the same art and saw the need to use writing as opposed to orals where one was supposed to speak his or her mind. Thus, the European contribution was seen later, the European nations certainly felt the need to do much on printing especially when it came to dramatization. This was attributed by the fact that most of their alphabets involved the employment of thousands of visual ideograms, and the use of the movable clay types that were labour intensive (Costas, 2012). Therefore, there were little changes as far as production efficiency was concerned since it suited the western nations, as opposed to the other nations. Historical Technological Advancement and consequences in the use of writing literacy and opposed to oral literature In the early years of fourteen century (1450), there was a rapid cultural change in the western world that fuelled the need for having a cheap and rapid production of written documents. During this time, literature hence created a huge demand for written documents; for instance, the use of written documents to spread religion. The bible was first written in scripts in order to reach large audience. In this way, the religion and some other traditions could be conveniently pass literature from one generation to the other through printed works. Before this was adapted, numerous communities, used to gather around fire points at the evening/nights where an elderly person could provide teachings to the young generation. As mentioned earlier, this method was seen inefficient to inculcate cultural aspects as some elderly persons could easily die before they inculcate some cultural aspects to the young generation. By the fact the writing documents could cast-off by many people over some period, there was need to adapt the system into cultural aspects of the society. This gave rise to the second aspect of writing literature, which was printing. During this time, there were demands of printed documents. Some person such as Gutenberg made use of the opportunity and made the business out of written documents. Similarly, it is during this time that the church was spreading the gospel; this implies that the holy book (Bible) and posters for crusades were needed much. Hence, Gutenberg accessed a ready market for his products. Just like any other business, when one has high demands; he or she is capable of prospering the business into higher height. Even with Gutenberg efforts in printing many documents, the clergy also took advantage of this opportunity and made numerous prints of indulgences, theological texts, and manuals there were relevant to spreading the gospel (Christianity). The church saw the need to control this but was in vain following the numerous printed copies of Martin’s thesis (Martin Luther); for instance, the rapidly and widely disseminated documents that were against the teaching and role of the church (Allen, 2010). Consequently, the gospel managed to penetrate into the hearts of my making more demands. To some extends, it is during this time that the bible had to be translated to other languages to suite the needs of people, as opposed to the initial era where the bible was only in Latin. Later in 1476, William Caxton came up with the first printing press in England, this was much attributed to the productive translator that he had. According to him, he found printing to be a better platform under which one could promote popular literature (Costas, 2012). Caxton printed and distributed wide range of narratives that sounded appealing to his clients including his fist popular edition of the Chaucer’s ‘the Canterbury tales.’ Apart from investing in the printing business, Caxton was also an editor who valued the articulation of speech regarding one point of view, considering one’s intelligibility to reach an audience as well as correcting spelling mistakes and proper use of books. In this scenario, Caxton managed to realize that English suffered much depending on the regional variations to the extent that people had difficulties in communicating to each other. Hence, Caxton’s contributions made his printing business prosper because of consumers’ requirements and operational conditions. Impact of printing technology on Orality and traditions Right from the time the Chinese discovered the arts of writing, the Arabs and Europeans adopted the same, as it was a convenient way to facilitate communication since one could easily understand and be accessed. Communities preferred to write their cultures as it could guarantee that the same could be passed from one generation to the other. This is evident much in the religion aspects such as Christianity spreading the gospel as well as the Muslim spreading Islamic religions. More of the population could be reached from a single sources of document; for example, the Koran and The bible. Similarly, having the elders written some aspect of traditions, it can be used by the young generation even after the elders have died. This implies that aspects of the traditions were brought near since one could read their traditions and adjust his lifestyle as per them. In addition to the same, the whole community could share a sing document whereby one person could read the texts to the entire crown/group of people. Impacts of printing technology in social and cultural aspects of life As earlier discussed, it important to note that the written traditions that governed the social aspects as well as cultural aspects could be consequently used to shape the lifestyle of the current generation. For instance, history records the practices that were performed by a given community. Hence, the generation that will come afterwards will learn to adapt the social aspects as per their ancestor’s objectives. In this way, the cultural heritage of the community will be retained. Considering the negative side of printing technology, some communities have not seen the need to practices some of their cultures. This can mainly be seen in the African way of life; they tend to exhibit western cultures as opposed to theirs’. The African elites (those who learned because of printing technology) exhibit a difference in their way of life as opposed to the traditionalist (those who still holds to their traditions). Similarly, the teaching strategies meant to conveyed cultural aspects of the community has consequently changed with emergence of print media. Impact of printing technology economic aspect of life It is written literature that gave rise printing; printing industry is experiencing advancement following its invention in the fourteenth century. As mention earlier, the technology involves the use of scientific principles; printing was because of experimental results; there were some insight discoveries that gave rise to printing (Costas, 2012). In the modern era, there was a need to acquire knowledge implying that there was the demand for printed media especially books. This meant that a better and convenient way of developing or coming up with the documents should be established. This gave rise to innovation that would easily allow people to share and communicate information without any form of constraints (Seymour, 2011). Printing technology paved way for communication revolutions that reached into deep modes of social interactions and thoughts. Printed media, along with spoken languages, writings and the electronic media, are an important marker of the historical shift in the ability to communicate what has contributed to intellectual and social transformation. Proper communication creates a platform in which oral culture can be passed from one generation to the other through sensory, emotional, and interpersonal interaction. In this case, the writing resources play a key role given that memorization is not considered an effective way of the communication process and communicating ideas (Costas, 2012). Similarly, recorded information can last and so be passed from one cohort to the other over a long period. Therefore, recorded and printed information lasts longer compared to other methods in which information can be stored. However, print media emphasizes the need to pursue personal privacy. This is attributed to the fact the print media is cheap and more portable as opposed to other medias. Therefore, this orientation to public privacy is part of the emphasis of individual freedom as well as individual rights that print media have brought to existence. Moreover, the print media injected the western cultures with principles of correction and verifiability that was essential for communication having gained some orientations from one source and it dispersed other parts of the nation. From this perspective, one source results in many receivers of the same information. If this trend is followed over a long period, then a larger geographical area can be covered with the same information. This is similar to the case of Christianity or religious thoughts, scientific inquiries that involved print innovations that have helped to overcome the challenges of instructional controls (Oh, 2013). Generally, print media focus on fixed, and verification of the truth on human rights and ability to select one’s religious path as well as intellectual paths. As discussed earlier in this section, printing emerged to be a business by the fact that there were demand for document that provided knowledge to people. For instance, making copies of the bible or cultural books was a business since the books could be sold and improve the social setting of humankind. In this way, the print median constituted to the economic aspect of people. Similarly, by the fact that many people could use one book, I meant that the financial plan of a given community could not be adjusted much since a book that was once used could still be used. Conclusion In conclusion, writing literacy is the art communication via written documents. Back in the old era, communities used to communicate orally until the invention of writing was invented by the Chinese. This was proved to a convenient was of communication that could inculcate different aspects of culture from one generation to the other. This resultantly created demand for written documents hence giving rise to the printing of documents. Printing is the production by applying ink to paper resulting in documents that can be used to communicate. Print media can be used to pass some important aspect of life from one generation to the other. There have been various contributions of technology to the print media. For instance, the contribution of the Chinese that imparted a way forward for the print media through coming up with a paper. Consequently, the demands for knowledge and finding the truth in religion (Christianity) created a better platform under which printing improved and developed. Generally, printing technology has passed through numerous generations which each generation improving on the technology. References Abel, R. 2012. The Gutenberg Revolution: A History of Print Culture. London: Transaction Publishers Allen, S. 2010. The History and Cultural Heritage of Chinese Calligraphy, Printing and Library Work. London: Walter de Gruyter Briggs, A., and Burke, P. 2010. Social History of the Media: From Gutenberg to the Internet. London: Polity Costas, B. 2012. Print Culture and Peripheries in Early Modern Europe: A Contribution to the History of Printing and the Book Trade in Small European and Spanish Cities. London: Brill Publishers Hamilton, F. 2011. A Brief History of Printing in England – A Short History of Printing in England from Caxton to the Present Time. London: Read Books Koops, M. 2010. Historical Account of the Substances Which Have Been Used to Describe Events, and to Convey Ideas, from the Earliest Date, to the Invention of Paper. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Melcher, F. 2012. 500 Years of Printing - A Collection of Articles on the History of Printing Since the Invention of Movable Type: Reprinted from the Publishers' Weekly. New York: Gardner Press Moore, C. 2010. Propaganda Prints: A History of Art in the Service of Social and Political Change. London: A& amp; C Black Oh, Y. 2013. Engraving Virtue: The Printing History of a Premodern Korean Moral Primer. London: Brill Publishers Seymour, T. 2011. A Printing History of Everyman's Library 1906-1982. London: AuthorHouse Read More