Why do we write things down?

The first thing that comes to mind when I consider this question is catharsis. As individuals, writing allows us to purge our souls and minds. Writing gives our minds an outlet that is loyal and mute. Writing allows us to express ourselves wholly without the fear of judgment or scandal. This isn’t something exclusive to the digital age. Before blogs there were diaries. Diarists such as Anais Nin are a great example of this. Without writing, who knows how much more mad she may have been. Of course, there are many other reasons why people write, it isn’t always to cleanse the soul. People write for recognition, people write to inform and activate other people, people write to pose questions to themselves and others. The list is infinite.