One More Purpose of Writing

Traditionally, the act of writing has been viewed as a way of recording past events and sharing information. Certainly there is no denying the logic of such a conclusion. After all, anything most any of us read contains tidbits that help expand our own knowledge base. Earlier in his career, however, the late anthropologist Claude Levi-Srauss, identified by many as "the father of modern anthropologist," concluded that writing has had another significant purpose: the exploitation of human beings rather than the enlightenment of them. (This is discussed in a fine new book by scholar Matthew Battles called "Palimpsest.")


Levi-Strauss made this observation while connecting with natives as he and his group traveled down the Amazon River. The chief of one particular tribe, he noticed, mimicked the note taking that Levi-Strauss was doing by making his own scribble marks on various pieces of paper. The scribbles were just that. They were not words or sentences or even drawings. Rather, according to the anthropologist, the actions of the chief represented his attempt to further solidify his authority over his tribe and make them believe he was pretending to communicate in this manner as a way to "facilitate slavery."


For me, such an observation adds a unique dimension to this form of communication that I had never considered. Man's early sounds were often inarticulate grunts. Words, on the other hand, represented - and still do - an attempt of establishing order in how and what one communicates with another. The tribal chief that Levi-Strauss observed used his so-called ability to write in order to impress his followers and reaffirm the notion that he, and only he, was able to communicate at this higher level. Thus, the members of the tribe were wise to continue to support his position of power. This is very much in-keeping with how many of us in today's world defer to those who write books even if what they put-down on paper is little more than scribble.