Blog Post #4 - Rebekah Krofchick

The Platonic (or Socratic) critique of writing is one that really interests me as it reveals anxieties about the uptake of new media that are still relevant in our contemporary society. However, one element of Socrates' critique of writing that we did not really dive into during this course is that of eros, which is a kind of intimacy that moves beyond the meeting of the minds and into the intertwining of the souls. It is sort of considered the ultimate level of authenticity and intimacy, and therefore eros should be the goal of communicative exchanges. When examining whether or not a communicative medium is authentic or not, Socrates would be concerned with whether or not that medium facilitates the development of eros. 

However, Socrates believes that this can only occur through face-face communication with a specific audience in a shared space. With this understanding, can we even say that reaching eros is possible in our current media ecology? Socrates would say no, there may be an argument to be made that perhaps with the development of communication media over centuries, our ability to facilitate real connections and relationships in mediated environments has also developed. There are numerous examples of connections being built online and blossoming into true authentic and intimate relationships prior to meeting face-to-face. One can share intimate details about themselves or their life through mediated communication that allows others to feel connected, and therefore I think it is unfair to characterize these relationships as inauthentic only due to the medium through which communication occurs. In this day and age, people grow up experiencing a mix of both mediated and face-to-face interactions and therefore have developed skills in developing authentic connections through both methods. I think it's safe to say that most of us are able to determine when online interactions are fake or trolls with at least some degree of accuracy due to the extent to which we rely on media for our social interactions. Therefore, I think we have developed skills that allow us to reach authentic and intimate connections, or eros, online despite Socrate's limitation of the conditions of eros. Overall, though the Platonic critique of writing provides us with a strong understanding of the anxieties that come along with the advent of new media. However, Socrates' rigid view of what is considered authentic or intimate may not be as relevant because with the development and uptake of new technology comes the development of associated skills and knowledge that make connectivity possible. 

What do you guys think? Do you think Socrates was right in thinking we cannot reach eros unless through face-to-face interactions? Do you think there is any way to truly reach the level of intimacy Socrates is concerned about in the digital age or is the concept of eros lost to time?