It seems that with every technological step forward, something is lost, too. In this case, it's literacy. For some reason, I'm reminded of this quote from Abraham Lincoln, which I think is a good example of the kind of eloquence we're unlikely to hear from our current leaders:

"...that he ordered General Taylor into the midst of a peaceful Mexican settlement, purposely to bring on a war; that originally having some strong motive—what I will not stop now to give my opinion concerning—to involve the two countries in a war, and trusting to escape scrutiny by fixing the public gaze upon the exceeding brightness of military glory—that attractive rainbow that rises in showers of blood—that serpent’s eye that charms to destroy-he plunged into it, and has swept on and on, till disappointed in his calculation of the ease with which Mexico might be subdued..."

Maybe slightly off-topic, but the line, "the exceeding brightness of military glory—that attractive rainbow that rises in showers of blood" is so perfect that I'll take any opportunity to share it.