Orality and Literacy

Orality and literacy are two concepts that have been engrained in my head since I was born. I can't imagine a life without orality or literacy. It's crazy to think that literacy is completely foreign to some cultures. According to Ong, only about 106 different languages have ever produced literature. 106 out of about three thousand languages around the world. Yes, literacy is a privilege. However, even those who are not privileged in my culture are still familiar with the idea of reading and writing.
I think orality and literacy are equally as important but in two drastically different ways. Speaking orally is a way of life. Yes, it's critical to be able to address peers, family members, teachers, co-workers, etc, but orality extends far beyond that. Speaking is a way to pass information from generation to generation. A way to express your thoughts and feelings. A story heard orally takes on a completely different life than a story that is read.
On the other end of the spectrum, we have literacy. Literacy allows us to speak without actually speaking. It's is a way to communicate without seeing the recipient of your words. If someone sarcastically says out loud, "You look like shit", it's easy to be able to pick up on the sarcasm. Tone of voice is a game changer. On the other hand, if someone sends a text message that says, "You look like shit", the person receiving the text may have no idea that it's supposed to be sarcastic. There is a lot more room for freedom when speaking orally. You can get a good sense of who you're talking to, their personality, and what might be appropriate or inappropriate.
Ong argues that primary oral culture today seems to be fading and losing it's prominence. I think this is largely due to the technology that consumes this generation. Every year it seems to get worse. They are constantly coming out with new technology and it gets easier and easier to hide behind these new devices. Some kids are having a hard time having a simple conversation with their peers because they genuinely don't know how to socialize. All of their interactions are done through some form of technology. I think Ong would agree that it's crucial for future generations to be able to maintain the oral traditions that are slowly slipping past us.