Eternal or Ephemera? The Myth of Permanence in Online Writing

For many, the permanence of online texts is an unquestionable fact. Though the assumption of permanence does hold a degree of truth, this article asserts that it is not necessarily the default mode we believe it to be within the digital era. Through an analysis of various digital media, this article will illuminate a number of cracks and fissures within the veneer of permanence. These gaps manifest in three primary forms: incompatibility and obsolescence; insecurity and deletion; and obscurity. As many composition instructors move to increasingly digital pedagogies, these digital gaps and losses become ever more alarming. Instead of urging writers away from digital texts, this analysis prompts one central question: Is longevity in the digital realm desirable? Rather than answering this question ourselves, this article pushes for an increased focus on temporality within the composition classroom so that we can engage in these conversations not for our students, but with them. Urging students to consider these questions of temporality is a first step towards more responsible and informed digital composition practices.