writing in 2025 is quite an interesting challenge. in this age of visualized and fast consumption, there exists a generation that consumes scrollable, disposable visual content on social media every day, regardless of time and space. in such an environment, writing stories, creating blog posts, expecting people to patiently read something, and inviting them to imagine can seem like a futile effort.
however, it is important to make this distinction: visual content, even those shaped by verbal narratives in the most intellectual topics, lacks the power to replace the centuries-old relationship that writing establishes with its readers. the meaning of writing does not solely come from being an individual tool for expression. writing is part of a collective process of meaning-making. as ferdinand de saussure emphasized in his theory of the sign system, language is not merely a tool used by individuals; it is the fundamental structure that creates the meaning system of a culture or a society. writing acts to rebuild, disrupt, or question this structure. finding an example where visualized culture represents such a disruptive effort is difficult. on the contrary, social media platforms funded by large capitalists serve nothing but to consolidate the existing power structures and socio-political order. the “new generation techno-kids” creating videos with tv show quotes and viral songs seem quite lacking when it comes to creativity.
yet, using these tools can still be an opportunity for those with important things to say. i believe marxists with a mission to change the world have failed to reach larger audiences because they haven’t shifted their intellectual production to these new spaces. however, expecting algorithms to promote a strike spokesperson also seems overly optimistic.
talking about the revolutionary impact of writing might seem like a worn-out topic now. it is a historical fact that in times when literacy was minimal, prophets and prophet-like figures changed the world’s boundaries with what they wrote, which was spread from tongue to tongue. however, the reality of paying bills often pushes the practice of writing to the background. if i hadn’t quit the job i had been working at for a long time, i probably wouldn’t have returned to the writing i loved so much and would have remained caught in the ordinary ontic flow of life. but the obligation to pay bills still exists, and i suppose i’ll see how ironic my situation becomes in the days to come.
writing is not merely about telling a story with words. every text rests on a historical and cultural context. a story or a blog post relies on the symbols, concepts, and conflicts of the world we live in. if we consider roland barthes’ concept of the “death of the author,” a text is not limited to its author. once a reader engages with a text, they rewrite it. writing does not end where it is written; it is reconstructed in the reader’s mind.
at this point, the function of writing goes beyond being a mere tool of narration and becomes a “space of meaning-making.” visual content creates quick and instant effects; however, writing expands, deepens, and multiplies meaning. a reader does not merely consume a text; they also participate in the process of its production. this makes writing not just content but a collective act.
structuralists thought speaks of invisible networks linking every text to another. texts are not independent of each other; each carries an echo of the past and produces an echo of the future. a blog post, a story, or an essay is not just an individual creation but a node in this network. for instance, every word or narrative motif you use while writing a story has reached you from some point in history and takes on a new form with you.
from this perspective, the reason writing remains meaningful in 2025 is that it offers a “slow” practice of meaning-making in a rapidly consumed world. writing creates a space that expands in the reader’s mind. this space, compared to the consumption of rapid visuals, requires more effort and patience but is also more enduring. people can find a refuge in these spaces, where meaning deepens and broadens, escaping the superficial speed of modern life.
moreover, writing can be an act of resistance. against the fast consumption cycle imposed by the capitalist production and consumption chain, a story or a blog post rejects the obligation to “be fast.” writing creates its own time and space, taking the reader on a journey within that time and space.
in conclusion, the role of writing in 2025 is to create a space of meaning beyond fast consumption. writing blogs or stories is not just about telling something but about inviting the reader into their mental universe and taking them on a journey through the depths of meaning. this might be one of the things humans need most in an era accelerated by technology: to think, to feel, and to truly belong to something.
of course, while writing all this, i also hope to reach a 17-year-old watching the behind-the-scenes of a tiktok video. they probably won’t read this, perhaps stopping at the first sentence. but if you’ve made it to the end, congratulations—you’ve finished a piece of writing!
