I wonder if when writing started to become the preferred method of transmitting information between humans, some people suggested that the methods of oral tradition were superior.
This might be a function of how passively many people read, though – particularly as compared with the highly interactive posture of speech.
There are reading strategies which we can employ to engage the brain quite effectively.
Plus, writing is immediately replayable. Some would rather abuse this than rely on a more holistic reading strategy, but that doesn't discount the value of having a concrete, immediately-accessible, and yet persistent record of the communication.
