Why do I pay so much attention to the manners lately? Perhaps it is connected with the age. For example, when someone types in Translit or Armenian letters but with evident illiteracy, I cannot read what s/he has written. They argue with me – perhaps s/he has expressed genius opinions. I doubt it, frankly speaking. Valuable thoughts cannot be formed in a messy, scattered and unorganized way. The internet prompts people to read less and write more messily – one is connected to the other.
No editor, no publisher will wish to send a newspaper or a book with slang usages of the word “that” or incorrect suffixes to publishing house. Typos of course happen, but the printed works require a certain degree of responsibility. There are no such requirements as regards the internet publications – people do not feel themselves bound to, so to speak, “gather their thoughts together” at all. To the frivolity of mind, in my opinion, contributes also monolingualism: bilingualism enlarges the mental horizon of people, deepening into the structure of that language helps to express yourself in your mother tongue more correctly. I would be happy if 20-30 years old people possessed English as our generation possesses Russian. But neither from quantitative nor from qualitative perspective there can be any comparison, I think.
I know, a lot of people will not agree with me, but I am assured – like the language, like the debate, and from a larger point – also the mentality. One can express only vapid thoughts in the language of the internet, the aim of which is to sting the opponent in the best case, self-sustain by humiliating the speaker. In this way it is possible to express solely rushing, incomplete thoughts, of which perhaps other users will be fond of for the condemning pathos (“you nailed it, bro”), but which will not help anyone to understand the essence if the issue.
This is why opinions expressed on the internet are so light in weight simply, and the debates are like butterflies – are forgotten the next day. It is better to read a paragraph from any book than to follow those debates.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
