Papyrus leads to change we can believe in

Along the course of human history there have been many inventions and developments that have changed civilization for the better and have led to a betterment of society and have allowed positive evolutions to take place. The use of papyrus for writing is one of these developments. The concept of using papyrus as a host for written ideas was seminal development in the process of creating the highly literate culture that we have today. Like most examples on new technology, papyrus led to a better way of life, more convenience, and an easier spread of knowledge.

Prior to papyrus all written communication was completed through impractical means such as stone engravings or messages carved into clay. Papyrus created a written portability with communication that had never been seen before. Now people could have the written materials come to them, instead of having to travel to the location where the text was previously carved into stone or clay. The easiness of mobility with text written on papyrus benefited the Egyptians in many areas. In the economic sector long distance business became easier because theoretically now a merchant in Cairo could hire a scribe to write a letter for him to a potential buyer somewhere down the Nile, whereas before the only way the merchant could talk to faraway buyers was through a messenger, who could be unreliable or by traveling a long distance himself to conduct business, which could be dangerous and too costly. A portable writing surface allowed texts to be spread amongst the common people for the first time, and eventually led to more and more becoming literate. The impetus to learn to read and write was much stronger due to the writings themselves now being out amongst the people, whereas before residents had to take the initiative themselves and travel to wherever the stone blocks with text on them were located.

According to Harold Innis in Communication in History writing on papyrus also changed the way letters themselves were written. Gone were the days of taking hours to carve even the simplest of messages into a rock, now using ink and papyrus, a scribe could produce a message in far less time. According to Innis:"Writing on stone was characterized by straightness or circularity of line, rectangularity of form, and an upright position, whereas writing on papyrus permitted cursive forms suited to rapid writing."
The new quickness of writing led to more shapes and characters used, and got away from the plodding style of pictography that had been previously carved into the stone. On papyrus it was easier to write down what was truly on one's mind. This led to the development of new alphabets and ways to write. Now thoughts that had previously been chained to the mind could now be transcribed to paper for all to see. Previously unknown ways of thinking developed. New ideas spread faster and led to changes in all areas of life.


The use of papyrus as a host for written text was an important development for literacy. In his article: "The End of Literacy? Don't Stop Reading." Howard Gardner argues that literacy and written language is always changing and evolving. The argument can be made that papyrus was a major stepping stone to the literacy we today enjoy via computers or reading. Papyrus set the concept in motion of writing down on sheets of paper. That concept eventually evolved into books. Papyrus also changed the way text was written, much the way computers and cell phones today have changed the format we read texts. Papyrus as a new host for written materials created a debate that closely mirrors the one Gardner brings up in his discussion of how new communication mediums have shaken up the culture:

"In the past 150 years, each new medium of communication -- telegraph, telephone, movies, radio, television, the digital computer, the World Wide Web -- has introduced its own peculiar mix of written, spoken and graphic languages and evoked a chaotic chorus of criticism and celebration. "

Forget 150 years; papyrus caused this debate 4500 years ago when it was first used. Papyrus' detractors could point to many arguments as to why civilization should have stuck to using stone carvings as the premier material for hosting written texts
They could have easily said: "papyrus is very thin and is not durable at all. It can be torn easily and unlike rock carvings, damaged if left out in the elements. It will disintegrate if touched by water and would burn quickly in the event of a fire. Papyrus was a tremendous material for writing down day to day transactions and other notes for the short term, but a unreliable instrument for writing down a civilization's history. A long narrative describing the mummification process would be far more likely to survive to the present day, if it had been carved into stone as opposed to written on papyrus. Papyrus played an important role in advancing society, but not in preserving society."

The detractors were probably proven right many times since papyrus does have a propensity for being destroyed, however the positive changes it had for society, as well as its role in improving literacy have shown that the use of papyrus was indeed a good move and a positive development for human society.


Sources:

Howard Gardner, “The End of Literacy? Don’t Stop Reading.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/15/AR2008021502898.html

Harold Innis, Communication in History. Pp 23-29.