Redefining Communication

Are we redefining communication or stifling it?

In an over-communicative world, one has to wonder…have we communicated ourselves right out of something to say? Have we murdered the art of conversation down to abbreviations and symbols that will fit into one text message? While avoiding data-plan overage charges is a thrifty idea indeed, I worry that we may be robbing ourselves of true substance.

In addition to the instantaneous nature of personal communication, we’re suffering from other abbreviated forms of communication as well. If, during the few seconds it takes us to sign into our email accounts, we don’t see a shocking or moving headline scroll; do we even think to read the news? Have we become so accustomed to being spoon-fed that we fail to realize the reward of digging?

Today, I remembered an assignment I had in high school where, for economics class, we were told to keep a close eye on the economic nature of our country. In order to facilitate the important lesson, we were asked to subscribe to the Wall Street Journal. I had to wonder; do students these days get the pleasure of inked fingertips and the smell of the word press? Or, are they in their self-sufficient bedrooms, seated comfortably in front of a glowing screen, hoping to find just enough information to complete their assignment; all the while, attempting to make it look as though they understand the information?

As I scrolled through the homepage of my facebook account today, I found myself debating the pros and cons of this phenomenon. I cannot, even with my closet hippie tendencies exposed, proclaim that this form of communication is all bad. After all, most likely, I will post the link to my blog on facebook as soon as I hit the submit button. The fact that I’m writing in a blog at all is evidence that I too feel the urging for my voice to be heard. But has it cheapened sentiment? Is a “Happy Birthday” or “Congratulations, you’re {insert important life event}!” really the same pumped through facebook for all to see?

As I completed tasks around my apartment this weekend, I became acutely aware of my attachment to my cell phone. I love hearing from those that I hold dear in my life but when I add it up, I am fairly certain that the efficiency of my chores would considerably increase if I wasn’t at the beck and call of a text alert.

And full circle…

Is our society so obsessed with instant communication that we ourselves have single handily held the assault weapon to conversation, unknowingly? Have we advanced so far in the “instant” that when we’re in the presence of others, we’re all tapped out of things to say? After all, how many times have you heard someone (or yourself) say, “Did you read my post on facebook?” only to be answered with, “Oh yeah, that was funny, I can’t believe that happened to you!” I find that these moments are quickly followed by a labored pause and a fleeting thought of “well, there goes that story.” Are we so quick to click on “status update” that we lose the update all together?

Just something to chew on for awhile…