fonetic sosietee

I fear we are becoming a completely phonetic people. No one seems to read and "spell check" autocorrects every misspelling as it occurs. I remember worrying that calculators would destroy the human ability to puzzle through a math problem, but that pales in comparison to the impact of software and the assortment of handheld technology on writing, spelling and grammar.

Ironically, the dramatic advent of social networking could be the redemption of the written word. Though my friends wonder aloud if anyone speaks to each other anymore, perhaps the fear of ridicule by other facebookers, tweets, myspacers, etc. will simply shame us into re-learning how to spell. Or maybe I'm a stickling dinosaur, forever mired in the good 'ol days of readin', ritin' & 'rithmatic!