Communication

DISCLAIMER: This post is part rant/part sarcasm/part venting. It was quite therapeutic for me to write so take it with a grain of salt. Oh and enjoy the very effective means of communication demonstrated by the oh so genius Office!!!


People say that 90% of the communication between people happens without words. It is done through actions, looks, body stance, and telepathic messages. I guess that last one includes the phrase "if looks could kill" since behind those evil eyes a message is being sent from one brain to another..."retreat or be killed!!!"

Well, today I had an interesting experience with communication or the lack thereof. Technology has provided us with some very wonderful things, TV on the Internet (which can I just add is like the greatest thing since sliced bread!!), the ipod, the microwave, digital cameras, movies (with sound and color), and of coarse for all the sports fans out there...instant replay! But while all these things are wonderful technology has also confused and mangled communication. When everything is sent digitally now through Facebook, text messaging, instant messaging, and yes, even blogging, it is hard to truly understand what someone is saying. The same phrases said in different tones and inflections of the voice can mean completely different things. We are only getting 10% of what the person is really trying to say! Something that is meant to be sarcastic is suddenly rude and insensitive. Something meant to be a joke is harsh and taken seriously.



As a teacher I watch my students write and insert text language (2 for the word to, n for in, lol, btw for by the way). That cannot be healthy. I have always had very little patience and so snail mail as it is now called is not exactly my favorite thing, however, nothing beats getting a letter that you can physically hold in the mailbox! Nothing beats ripping open the top of that letter and seeing actual handwritten words! It is soo personal and wonderful! It just makes you feel special. I personally think that IRS would get a lot less slack if they would start handwriting their letters and envelopes when auditing people.

We as a society are loosing the art of letter writing and of patience. Everything we do now a days is to satisfy our need for instant gratification! All of our problems need to be solved in one 60 min time slot just like they are on TV. Everything is instant and or prepared in just minutes! Whatever happened to going with the flow and looking at the roses. No instead we are too busy stomping over them while we text the person next to us.



Ok I'm off my soap box and back to the original point of this post. Today I received an email in response to an email that I had sent where something I had said was taken completely out of context and basically just turned into this whole big mess. Now normally I could just call or text the person and clear it all up but in this unique case the person I need to talk to is in Iraq making communication a little harder because it is spread out over 6,000 miles. Oh the joys of my single life! haha Nothing can be simple it all has to be confusing and difficult! Sooooo freaking frustrating.

Ok enough ranting. I'm going to do something I should have done and hour and a half ago...go to bed. I hope you got some food for thought and that the next time you send a text or get offended by someone over technological communication you will stop, breath, and calming talk to them about it.