Why do we write?

One of the most basic things that defines us as human beings is our ability to communicate abstract concepts.  It is something that most of us just take for granted, probably because it is just inherent in us.  What I find fascinating is that while spoken language in just there for us to use, written language is a skill that we have to learn.  Sure, we have to learn spoken language.  But!  We learn it in a very different way.  Speech is just there in the human brain.  Between the ages of 3 and 7 approximately, the brain is like a language sponge.  The concepts of grammar, syntax and accepting specific sounds as having a generally agreed upon meaning are just there waiting for data entry.  This is not the case with written language.  Written language is a learned skill.  It happens in a completely separate part of the brain from speech and is essentially unrelated to spoken language.  Think about the fact that there have been great civilizations that have risen, flourished and disappeared without ever developing a written language.  People have always searched for methods of expression.  Using tools is another trait that sets us apart.  The creation of art seems to be a universal human activity as well.  Perhaps not with every individual, but art identifies cultures and periods of time.  Art is a basic need.  It is usually discussed as one of the higher facets of human expression.  It can be.  But, in fact, it is a very basic urge.  The concept of the use of tools is another basic activity.  Artistic expression is one of the first activities that blossoms from the discovery of tools.  Why the written word is not a universally shared experience is still one of the great mysteries.  Written expression is a higher and more complex facet of the artistic drive.  For many, it is usually taken for granted.  But it can be a source of tremendous satisfaction and it can generate the greatest frustration.  Those who have the ability to wield it deftly have been given a great gift.  At the same time, those who struggle with language and writing can feel that it is a curse.  And it goes beyond simply being able to handle language.  There is another tier to these abilities.  Having the appreciation of the importance of expressing oneself in a visually pleasing way and the willingness to devote the time and energy it takes to master the pen is arguably the highest form of artistic expression.  Thus, the tools we use to execute this art should be understood and appreciated.

 It is probably safe to assume that the first instrument was the human finger used in soft dirt or perhaps with some sort of media like charcoal or a natural dye that would transfer to a surface.  It is truly amazing how slowly this crucial element of civilization developed.  The earliest writing we know of is Cuneiform.  It is the oldest known because it survived due to what the circumstances under which it was created.  Because the symbols were pushed into wet clay tablets and many of those clay tablets survived in the dry desert environment, we know much more about these people than we know about many other, possibly more advanced civilizations.  Just a rudimentary knowledge of archaeology shows us how little we really do know about our past.  As we get closer to our own era, we know more about how people communicated.  The Greeks used a stylus to mark on wax-coated writing tablets.  Egyptians used hollow reeds to transfer pigments.