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I had an interesting conversation with a client the other day about etiquette and the art of conversation. Like me he is a baby boomer, fully immersed in current technology yet aware of its shortcomings. We both still write real letters, phone our friends to chat and talk to people minus a blackberry when we are face to face. We use technology and take leadership in driving change but also reflect a generation that is desperate not to lose the personal touch of the past as we march forward into a tech driven world
It is no secret that internet communication and the continuing evolution of tools and platforms that facilitate conversation have changed the way we communicate. In many ways, the changes have been exciting. The ability to communicate with ease across global time zones exposes us to a wider diversity of cultures and traditions. This has also eased the ability for businesses of all sizes to expand internationally.
The internet has expanded everyone’s appetite for information. Not everyone was excited about reading the encyclopedia or spending hours in a library but the world it seems is fully ready to Google anything from anywhere.
All of this should mean that we are more literate than in the past and far savvier at the art of conversation. It should but does it?
Join me this week as I explore the issue, and please share your thoughts in the comments. What do you think of our communication skills? Any personal victories or horror stories to share?
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Janice, I love those thoughts! Often the beauty of communication lies between the words and that is something that is more difficult to communicate via text. Although as writers we do exactly that with storytelling….
Hi Brad! Thank you so much for the support and encouragement. I like your idea of balance and proportion, it really is good advice that applies to so many areas of our lives. I have not lost hope but there have certainly been a number of issues recently that piqued my interest in exploring this subject. I look forward to your insights!
Hm…I suspect that the mode of communication is less important than what we actually communicate. A look and glance a wink…a smile…how do we convey those in a virtual word? On the other hand… as Conor says…how lucky we are to connect from such far flung places from each other. I think we Google more info, because it is at hand, literally…don’t have to make a special trip to get it. But are we better at communication? Hm..good question.
Hi Karen, Great idea for a series – I look forward to your commentary and the discussion. Conor makes a good point about the superficiality of online conversation. It takes a long time and a lot of texting to really get a handle on a person as a whole person. Virtual communication will never fully replace the real thing, and it concerns me if we become too reliant on superficial communication, we may find ourselves severely dehumanized and alienated one day. It’s a question of balance and proportion.
Hi Conor! You nailed it and I will talk about those things in the series and how miscommunication ensues when we rely on text alone. I definitely believe we are beginning to see the impact now and will see more results as time goes on.
Hey Karen,
It’s a tricky area to navigate. For many people it seems the more avenues they have to communicate through technology, the less physical connection they seem to need.
I wonder how the social skills of new generations will be affected. Hours each evening chatting to friends on Facebook instead of face to face, how will that affect basic communication skills?
Body language, tone, and inflection are the most important facets of communication, yet all are missing when we connect by chat or messages.
At the same time, I have connected with such great folks this way. I suppose balance is key. Time will tell if we learn to navigate new technologies while maintaining our hold on articulation, conversation and face to face fun 🙂
Conor