My Work Philosophy
My personal philosophy on writing, editing, teaching, and other work
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Writing—regardless of the medium—is a vital tool used to impart knowledge, conduct business, transmit stories, and share feelings. Writing in its many forms has been used for thousands of years, and it will continue to be used until humanity evolves or perishes. While alternatives exist (such as transmitting information by word of mouth or by exchanging items with symbolic significance), writing will endure as an important part of our lives. Without the ability to write, our society would be more primitive and disorganized.
Editing has been around as long as writing has, and the two processes are nearly inseparable. Editing is defined by Merriam-Webster as a process that we use “to alter, adapt, or refine especially to bring about conformity to a standard or to suit a particular purpose.” Further, editing is essential to ensure that the author’s intended message is clear, that the information is accurate, and that the style conforms to a particular standard. Without the ability to edit, our messages would be muddled, our information would be wrong or misrepresented, and our documents would be non-standardized and confusing.
Teaching is a multifaceted process of information transfer that can be static or active and includes many pedagogy for guiding, imparting, and instructing. Teaching can be done one-on-one or in groups; in homes or in schools; and with one teacher or multiple teachers. The knowledge or skills transferred can be practical, scientific, or procedural in nature. The process can be formal or informal, and being taught something can be mandatory or elective. However, in the end, teaching is done so others may learn. Without the ability to teach, society would remain highly uneducated, ignorantly biased, and culturally unaware.
Researching expands knowledge. The Nature Publishing Group notes "[t]he fundamental task of research is asking questions." Why does something work the way it does? What are the processes involved with a particular task? Why is a particular topic important to humanity? These questions are answered through research, which requires discovering and parsing what others have written, edited, and taught. Then, as a result, the researched information is passed on to others using those same three aspects.
Publishing and conserving also play a role in the above. Books, magazines, zines, brochures, audio recordings, wikis, and many more objects act as vehicles for documenting all of this writing and research. Publishing and preserving them for future generations is equally important. Though thought of as niche, even today we require knowledge in containing and preserving bodies of knowledge, physical and digital.
All of these tasks—writing, editing, teaching, researching, publishing, and conserving—are intimately linked together. Without one, the others begin to stumble and fall. United, these processes positively guide and shape each of our lives. We write what we learn. We edit what we write. We teach what we write and edit. We research and conserve what others have published. The process is a continuous cycle that feeds itself and feeds each of our minds. Without this cycle, our modern society would quickly fade into obscurity; with it, our future shines brightly.