The Education of Story Lovers: Do Computers Undermine Narrative Sensibility?

Abstract

This article argues that computers, at least in their common or prevalent uses, constitute an important undermining influence on people's ability to tell, enjoy listening to, view, and read good stories. We discuss the centrality of narrative in defining our humanity and in educating our children, and justify the emphasis on "good" stories, invoking Ricoeur's views on the hermeneutic level of interpretation. We then address the question of the nonneutrality of electronic wrapping of words and the problematic relationship between computers' navigational properties and narrative, particularly vis-à-vis Deleuze and Guattari's notion of rhizomatic structures. We consider and critique some counterarguments to our claim, specifically those that appeal to postmodern and hypertextual conceptions of narrative, and suggest ways that education can play an important role in counteracting the negative influences we have indicated.One of this article's authors was once asked to act as the chairperson of a national committee dealing with the educational uses of computers. He accepted this post despite (or perhaps because of) his relative lack of knowledge of computer uses in education. Being of an anthropological turn of mind, he often found himself taking a participant observer position during discussions. As an outsider, he became fascinated by the culture of computer buffs as it exhibited itself in these discussions. It seemed to be a culture that was rather foreign to him. One of the committee meetings took place the day after this author had, by chance, reread and again admired Agatha Christie's superb short story "Witness for the Prosecution." While observing a member of the committee demonstrate a particular

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