In Clive Thompson’s “Public Thinking” he goes into detail about how much writing has changed over the years and what kind of impact it has had in many different aspects of life. Thompson has many questions throughout the text such as, How did the internet drastically change the amount of writing people do per day? or How can we improve the way we write using simple tactics?
I believe that the larger question Thompson is trying to answer in his text is, How has the internet been a great addition to not only writers but others? Thompson himself answers his question when he writes, “…the Internet, which encourages public thinking and resolves multiples on a much larger scale…It’s now the world’s most powerful engine…Failed networks kill ideas, but successful ones trigger them.” (Smarter Than You Think 61) In the citation Thompson is saying that the internet motivates the common man to want to have their voice/opinion be heard by posting their own opinions on the world wide web but it also allows people from around the world to come together and solve a certain issue that might be present.
Along with explaining how the internet has opened up a window for people to be able to express their own opinions freely, Thompson also includes other important information on how to become a better writer not only on paper but also on social media. In Smarter Than You Think, Thompson introduces a woman named Ory Okolloh whom is a blogger. Okolloh decided to make a blog in 2003 so she could talk about Kenyan politics. For seven years she had plenty to write about and became a better writer by updating her blog constantly. Okolloh says, “I became very disciplined…Knowing I had these people reading me, I was very self-conscious to build my arguments, back up what I wanted to say…” (Smarter Than You Think 46) What helped Okolloh become a better writer was realizing that she had an audience. It allowed for her to make sure she had solid evidence to support all of the claims she made.
In addition to having an audience to help make someone a better writer, not knowing what to write is also a good thing. Cecil Day-Lewis once said, “I don't sit down at my desk to put into verse something that is already clear in my mind…If it were clear in my mind, I should have no incentive or need to write about it…” (Smarter Than You Think 51) When a writer does not have a clear idea of what to write about it is a good thing because if it was clear then someone most likely already understands the topic enough to not have to read someone write about. This in change allows the writer to have more freedom on what to write about and how to present their text.
Moreover, the most obvious way to become a better writer is to write more. Studies have shown that the more people write the better writers they become as time goes on. For example, “..kids who message a lot appear to have have slightly better spelling and literacy abilities than those who don’t.” (Smarter Than You Think 67) It does not matter what type of writing or the length of a text, it all contributes to helping the individual improve on their writing skills. In sum, Thompson used “Public Thinking” to not only show how the internet helped writers and others to a great extent in allowing them to exhibit their opinions but also to show the reader how to become a better writer. Having an audience has shown that it pushes the writer to write in a clear and straight forward manner. Knowing what not to write can also be beneficial, given that it allows the writer to have more liberty, and the more a person writes the more it allows them to practice which then improves their writing in the long run.
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