Coding is like writing, and we live in a time of the new

When Susan Wojcicki declared, “Coding is like writing, and we live in a time of the new industrial revolution. What's happened is that maybe everybody knows how to use computers, like they know how to read, but they don't know how to write,” she spoke not only to the evolution of technology, but to the evolution of human capacity in the face of an ever-advancing future. Her words are not simply a reflection on technology; they are a call to arms, urging us to move beyond being passive consumers of the digital world, to become active creators within it. In the age of the information revolution, the most profound skill we can learn is not just how to use the tools that surround us, but how to create with them. To code is not merely to type lines of text; it is to wield the power of creation, the same power that gave birth to the written word, and with it, to human civilization itself.

In ancient times, the ability to write was as revolutionary as the ability to speak. The earliest scribes in Mesopotamia, those who carved cuneiform on clay tablets, did more than record events; they changed the world. Through the written word, knowledge could be passed from one generation to the next, from one civilization to another. This, too, was an industrial revolution — one that altered the fabric of society, enabling complex economies, administrations, and cultures to emerge. Writing allowed humanity to transcend the immediate and the local, reaching across time and space. Similarly, coding is today’s language of creation, and just as writing unlocked vast realms of knowledge in the past, coding unlocks boundless possibilities in the digital world. Yet, Wojcicki warns us: while we may be able to read and understand the digital world, few of us truly know how to write it, to shape it to our will.

The meaning of Wojcicki’s quote is clear: we are living in a time where the tools of creation — computers, algorithms, and digital technologies — are ubiquitous, yet the skill to use these tools to create new systems, new worlds, new ways of living and thinking, is still in the hands of the few. It is as though most of us are readers in a world where the true power lies with the writers. Just as the great philosophers of antiquity, like Socrates and Plato, used writing to share their ideas and shape the course of human thought, so too must we embrace coding as the means by which we shape the future. Without this skill, we risk becoming mere observers in a world we could help to build.

Consider the story of Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press, who forever changed the course of history by making the written word accessible to the masses. Before his invention, books were rare, expensive, and limited in distribution. Only a small, elite group had access to knowledge, and the spread of ideas was slow and bound by physical limitations. Gutenberg’s press democratized the written word, just as coding today democratizes the digital world. But even as books became more accessible, there was still a challenge: reading was not enough. To truly participate in the flourishing of ideas, one had to be able to write — to contribute to the conversation, to shape the future of knowledge. The printing press did not just allow for reading; it allowed for writing — and in doing so, it empowered the individual to change the world.

Similarly, the computing revolution is more than just about accessing information; it is about creating with information, about writing the digital world. Every app, every website, every platform that shapes modern life — from social media to e-commerce, from healthcare to entertainment — was created by individuals who knew how to write in the language of code. And yet, as Wojcicki points out, most of us are merely users of these creations, not creators. We are content to consume rather than create. This is the great divide of our time: those who understand how to shape the digital world, and those who are shaped by it.

The lesson is one of empowerment: the future belongs to those who can create, not just consume. Wojcicki’s call is not a condemnation, but a challenge: we must learn the language of the future, just as past generations learned the language of the written word. The tools are in front of us — powerful computers, vast networks of information, and limitless opportunities for creation. It is time for us to stop being mere readers and become writers of our own futures. In a world where technology shapes our lives in ways both profound and subtle, to be a creator is to have the power to shape the future.

Practical actions for the modern learner:

1. Learn coding: Begin by understanding the basics of programming languages like Python, JavaScript, or HTML. These are the tools of creation in the digital world.

2. Think beyond consumption: Instead of simply using apps, think about how they are built. Seek to understand the systems behind them.

3. Create something: Whether it's a website, an app, or a simple script, begin to create with the knowledge you gain.

4. Collaborate and contribute: Just as writers once shared their manuscripts, share your digital creations. Join open-source projects and contribute to the growing landscape of human knowledge.

For as Susan Wojcicki so wisely urges, we must embrace the power of creation in the digital realm, just as past generations embraced the power of writing. Only by doing so can we shape the future, not merely watch it unfold. The time has come to be the writers, not the readers, in this new age of the digital industrial revolution.