I have this hope that [the Internet] is going to revive the arts of conversation and letter-writing. Because suddenly people who used the phone only to communicate are writing out their thoughts and feelings.
Predictor: Martin, Judith
Prediction, in context:In a 1995 article for Computerworld magazine, Virginia Shea interviews Judith Martin, a woman best-known as Ms. Manners through her nationally syndicated newspaper column on 1990s etiquette. Martin says: ”You know, I have this hope that [the Internet] is going to revive the arts of conversation and letter-writing. Because suddenly people who used the phone only to communicate are writing out their thoughts and feelings. In real life, conversation has turned so much into whining and polemics. I would think that would get tedious very quickly in a cyberspace group, where it is your ability to be interesting that’s valued. So maybe it will teach people again how to talk and write. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”
Date of prediction: January 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Community/Culture
Subtopic: Ethics/Values
Name of publication: Computerworld
Title, headline, chapter name: Miss Manners’ Guide to Excruiatingly Correct Internet Behavior
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Vol. 29, Issue 10, Page 85 ISSN: 00104841
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Strickland, Amanda M.