Daily Archives: September 30, 2009

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One of the greatest problems with text as a form of communication is that it can be so easily misinterpreted.

Of course, one of the greatest strengths of text as a form of communication is that it can be so easily re-interpreted.

In the first instance, this can be a frustrating from the writer's perspective as I can see via the comments or from blog reaction that my intended message can be seen in a totally different light to my original intent. But, on the other hand, as a reader, the freedom to take someone else's words and view them through my own lense is actually a huge positive. I can take these ideas, sometimes with very little context, and manipulate them to create my own message, my own innovative path forward and create something new beyond the original text laid down by the writer. I like to think of it like the difference between reading the book and seeing the movie. Reading "The Lord Of The Rings" allows the imagination to run wild - but once I saw Peter Jackson's cinematic version, I can only picture orcs and hobbits in one way now.