What happened to all the writers?

Something I have been thinking about lately is the passing of the written (and spoken) word. Why do we write things down or video/record them?

The Now:
-Newspapers/News Programs - What's happening in the world now?
-Blogs - often what is in the now (current events, what's new in fashion, documentation of current thoughts and processes)
-Diaries and journals - what am I thinking right now? what happened today?
-Youtube videos - Something funny caught on camera, new movement phrasework captured from rehearsals, latest work
-Letters, emails, text messages, postcards - varying degrees of contact between two specified people, immediacy of the text message vs. anticipation of written word through snail mail, brevity and specificity of postcard, informality of email

For the Future:
-Newspapers - documentation of the past, patterns of events
-Blogs, diaries, journals - What was I thinking last year? What ideas did I have that I forgot about, strayed away from, carried out? How have I grown?
-Youtube - Here are all the things I have done that I selectively want people to see.
-Archived inbox, stack of letters - archived emails and text messages for ease of returning to old thoughts, clarification of dates, etc.... saving handwritten letters and nostalgia of personal communication

I'm interested in how the current state of the economy has impacted the way we communicate with each other, both in the selective one-on-one form, and in mass media as well. In thinking of my specific family history, the way it is documented through written word and song for years though now my family tree exists in a facebook group of common ancestors for people to quickly learn bits of information. What has happened to personal relationships? We used to write hand written letters, make personal visits, and sometimes long phone calls for long distance friends or family. Now the email and text message is the way to go. Personal messages sent through impersonal channels. Its quick and easy, just press a button and its on the way. Instant gratification.

So these are the ideas I am thinking about for a new duet I am creating with Kristen and Jessi. I think a duet will be interesting because it will clearly force me and the audience to see the personal and impersonal means of communication between two people without deciphering extra human relationships. I am excited to delve into our world of communication - how its being done now and what it is doing to our humanity.