# Socrates and Twitter By:: [[Brian Heath]] 2022-10-03 [[Socrates]] believed that writing was not an effective way to communicate [[knowledge]]. Instead, he advocated for face-to-face communication. Of course, there weren't exactly a lot of books around at the time, nor were there many people who could read them. However, I wonder if Socrates was just that grumpy person who rejects new technologies and pines away about how things were better back in their day. Perhaps, but there is likely some truth to his perspective. Writing is primarily a one-way communication channel. You write, they read. Speaking face-to-face with someone is a two-way communication channel. You say something, they listen, and they say something back. Furthermore, face-to-face conversation brings a lot more context and intentionality than reading. Body language, authority, friendship, trust, cultural behaviors, and many other things happen during a conversation. Given Socrates' method of asking questions endlessly to uncover the truth of a person's belief system, it's not entirely surprising that Socrates preferred talking over writing. He had the power and authority as the instructor and questioner. With writing, Socrates was powerless by [[Comparison]] to force people to consider his version of knowledge. He could write a book or letter full of questions, but there was no follow-up dynamism. There is no dialogue and convincing quick wit. If knowledge is revealing a truth about themselves or the world around them, then face-to-face communication might be the fastest way to win - as long as you have the conditions to ensure engagement. Some things about writing are different today. Most people can read and write. Furthermore, written communication can be dynamic and personal via text messaging and chats. As a result, you could more effectively utilize a version of the Socratic Method via writing today, but some elements are still lacking compared to a face-to-face conversation. For example, it is much easier to disengage via writing by just blocking someone and ghosting them. It is also much easier to say something to someone without having to look them in the eye. When thinking about whether Socrates was right about writing and knowledge, consider how much knowledge is, or is not, conveyed on social media platforms like Twitter, Reddit, and Facebook. Conveying knowledge is a challenging endeavor that goes beyond [[information]] or [[facts]]. Humans are social animals and this plays a much larger role than most people acknowledge. #### Related Items [[Language]] [[Thinking]] [[Writing]] [[Communication]] [[Understanding]]