All Types of Talk
Communication breakdown!
With the outbreak of technology we’ve had in the last 10-15 years or so, communication has never been so easy, and so confusing, as it is right now. I remember watching my dad minister in the 80′s and early 90′s in Ohio, and he had two options: meet with the person or make or receive a landline call. This was probably a lot better for focus unless he was at home and his children were busy running around the house yelling at one another. Now we have a landline phone (anybody know what this is?), a cell phone, Instant messaging, texting, Facebook wall, Facebook messages, Facebook chat (and Facebook pirate or vampire invitation), Skype, and video messaging coming at us very fast.
So here are some questions that have been stirring in my head. I’ve answered them myself, and feel free to share your answers with me as well:
*When it comes to your close friends, how much (and how) do you communicate with them?
I have a whole pile of close friends, both here and away, and my answer looks like this. My friends here I talk to on the phone about once a week, and my friends abroad I talk to about once a month. I also tend to text a good bit to friends both here and away. I don’t use email a lot (since the development of Facebook) because if I’m going to go into detail, I’d rather do it by voice either by phone or in person.
*As far as emailing invitations to events, how much is too much?
I wish I knew the answer to this. Any help here?
*How much do you enjoy communicating live with people vs. communicating electronically?
Personally I love technology, but I love to hang with people more. Playing games, shooting the breeze, talking life, love, and other mysteries is where I’m at, though I certainly understand why a lot of people enjoy communicating electronically. It’s a lot easier to be authentic, and you can shut it down when you want it to stop.
This post might help you think about where you’re at communication-wise.
*Has the onslaught of technology helped our communication to become more authentic?
Yes.
*Has the onslaught of technology helped our communication build more community?
No. It’s helped spark some community, but I wouldn’t say more community.
*If you could have one tool of communication, and only one, which one would it be?
Definitely a cell phone for me. I think a laptop would be too easy to hide behind. Plus people would find out that I’m not the All-state QB I said I was from my online persona. Though sometimes I do like the idea of church online.
*As far as communication, what do you have to practice more of in your life?
Definitely I’d like to have more community between Carie, myself, and other friends in regular intervals throughout the week. I don’t just want to sit back in the evenings anymore and feel bad for myself because I live in a cold tundra.
Your turn. How do you communicate?
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I do not think that the onslaught of instant communication cause true authenticity. We are more able to be blatantly honest with each other via tech communication, but true authenticity, I feel, can only be achieved through personal relationship, which no communication device can replicate thus far.