Final Post: Community and Communication

This morning we gathered in small groups to discuss each unit covered in the course (folk knowledge, oral knowledge, written knowledge, print knowledge). I enjoyed getting some new perspectives on my thoughts on the connection between the mode of communication and the type of community formed. The last rotation, focused on print knowledge with Brianne and Montana, was particularly helpful. In my notes for the final, I mentioned my impression that studying different mechanisms of communicating knowledge affected how our group interacted; discussing with my classmates helped my expand that idea to the cultures that we studied in the course. The broader the reach of the a type of knowledge, the larger but less intimate community it forms. 

As you might recall, folk knowledge is essentially skills that are taught usually verbally and physically. Because of the nature of communication mode, the strongest bond in folk knowledge is between teacher and learner. While including individuals and allowing them to enter specific circles, in inherently excluded the majority of individuals. Two good examples of this from our discussion were the bath tub and understanding genteel manners. Jared posted on the folk knowledge aspect of learning to bathe. It was a new skill in the 18th century and allowed those willing to learn and practice it to move in specific social circles. While skill allowed more opportunities, it is also implied that those who did not gain it were denied these opportunities. In Mike's post on the medicine in the ancient Americas, he addresses that medicine as such was passed down in a family from father to sons. Each family had an individual type of medicine that was specific to them. Those in the family learned it and those outside did not. Based on these points, I conclude that folk knowledge is most conducive to very small intimate communities. 

Oral knowledge makes it possible to communicate with more individuals than possible with strictly folk knowledge. This is, in part, due to the fact that it has more structured institutionalization to it. The audience can be larger and communal participation increases the connection between participating members of the community. The best example of this from our class is our unit project, group recitation of King Benjamin's speech. All the comments about our experience were about how it was very stimulating and we felt closer together. Oral knowledge includes everyone within the sound of the speaker's voice but, like King Benjamin discovered, that still does not include everyone. Vocalizations only carry so far. Oral knowledge is effective for communities larger than those formed by folk knowledge and forms a connection between participants; however, the size is still limited by physical constraints.

Use of writing to communicate knowledge expands the audience that can be reached. Something of particular interest with written knowledge is that it expands not only the spatial range of communication but also the temporal range. Morgan did an interesting post on marginalia that highlighted this point well. The idea is that once you are no longer solely focused on preserving what you already have, you have the opportunity to build on what has been produced by the groups of thinkers before you. Writing connected people who had never met and formed an abstract community. Members of the Republic of Letters often did not ever meet each other or know one another personally. Yet they were so involved in personal correspondence with each other that they felt as if they were a community. A community bound by abstract ideas transmitted through writing can theoretically circle the globe and expand through time. However, the media itself is limited, one can only connect with as many people as one can physically write to, materials, time, and a reliable postal system are necessities. 



Finally, the advent and broad use of printing seems to dispel the challenges that plagued the other forms of knowledge dispersal, especially with the relatively rapid general movement toward universal literacy. The number of people with access to ideas is greater than ever before. The block printing enables even the illiterate to access new ideas and all people to become more aware of each other through the printing of illustrations and maps (see Brianne's paper for more information). The rise in nationalism as an identity of community is evidence of it's power to unite. But it is also very impersonal. The author writes to the masses and the masses read. People are brought together by ideas but not necessarily any individual connection

I find it important that the personal touch that was the heart of folk knowledge dwindles and virtually disappears as knowledge institutions and communities grow. A personal community is not favored by mass produced knowledge; the result is a highly informed but woefully unconnected group of solitary individuals. It is interesting to consider the possible implications for the use of digital media.