You have argued that new technologies are a threat to the “silence” and “intimacy” necessary for an encounter with great works…

Yes, the quality of silence is organically linked to the quality of language. You and I are sitting here, in this house surrounded by a garden, where there is no other noise other than the sound of our conversation. Here I can work. Here I can dream and try to think. Silence has become a huge luxury. People are living in a constant din. There is no more night in cities. Young people are afraid of silence. What will become of serious and difficult reading? Is it possible to read Plato while wearing a Walkman? I find this very worrying.

The excerpt above comes from an interview with George Steiner, influential literary critic, philosopher and novelist.

The interview is really interesting but I just found it funny that he references the Sony Walkman (do they make those anymore?). I guess it kind of proves his point though, that if you’re doing serious reading you won’t have much time to listen to those pesky Walkmans and  gramophones anymore.

Read the rest of the inteview at presseurop.

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Lithograph above by Matthew Rangel

Tags:George Steinerliteraturemodern societyphilosophysilencetechnology