Ong Separations

Separation #7: Writing separates past form present (p.26)
I can understand the point that Ong is trying to make here- that writing causes allows those with past knowledge to not remember things anymore- yet I disagree with what he is saying. Perhaps it is in his phrasing Writing separates past from present that makes me disagree with him. I believe that writing can unify the past and present. Having written records helps connect things that have happened long ago with things that happen now. Those written records are then able to be referenced back to if need be for any occasion.

Separation #13: Writing divides or distances more evidently and effectively as its form becomes more abstract, which is to say more removed from the sound world into the space world of sight (p.28)
I agree with Ong in this separation. When writing the alphabet, the more complicated things become, the more you have to rely on pure sight and memorization to recognize and identify what those words or letters are. In some languages, words are actually pictures as representations of things (like heiroglyphics). The more complicated languages use collections of letters to represent what is trying to be said. These letters are very abstract and complicated.