An appeal for friction writing

Have our written words lost their significance in modern times? The simple frictionless design of modern technology has made the world more convenient, but our ability to continuously update our online profiles has also taken away the meaning of our words. Richard Hughes Gibson contemplates the importance of resistance in writing and how it can offer significant opportunities for self-reflection in a world of constant oversharing. “Frictionless environments give us the false sense that we can stay on top of things all by ourselves. But against that often destructive delusion we can cultivate a healthy sense of humility about what we know, what we ought to share, when we need to speak up. That humility, in turn, may lead us to seek out a still better source of friction, the counsel of others — trusted friends, a fellow writer or scholar, or maybe even an editor — before we weigh in on the topic du jour. The baleful social effects of the frictionless sharing approach are increasingly plain. Now is the time to waste more words in hopes of sharing better ones.”