The Egyptian god Thoth is credited in the ancient pantheon with inventing the intellectual technology of writing. In the story told by Socrates in Plato’s dialogue The Phaedrus, Thoth brought the invention of writing to King Thamus, but found that his gift was unwelcome. King Thamus thought writing would weaken man’s memory. He feared that writing, as a form of outsourcing, would wither natural abilities in men rather than enhancing them. In The Shallows, the story of Thoth is repeatedly mentioned as a reminder that new technologies always come at a price. A new tool, though it may help enhance our natural functions, may engender dependence and actually dull and weaken our inborn skills. Thoth is, at the same time, a reminder that all new technologies, no matter how helpful they ultimately become, initially strike fear and mistrust into the hearts of many people.
The Story of Thoth Symbol Timeline in The Shallows
