Communication is an essential part of existence for all species on this planet. The ways in which humans communicate is constantly evolving. From the Pony express to telegraph to texting and emails. The speed at which communication is possible is rapid. The ways we communicate are ever changing, yet sometimes we forget the most basic and important from of communication, face to face.
“The most meaningful and important conversations happen face to face. When you are talking to a person it is easier to be fully present rather than texting someone while you may also be multitasking,” junior Serena Laing said.
There is nothing quite like quality face to face conversation with someone without interruptions. A real face to face conversation allows people to read your facial expressions and tone of voice which can have a huge impact on the meaning of what is being said. This is often lost in texts and attempted to be conveyed via emoji.
According to the University of Wisconsin Platt, using a phone in a social situation has become a security blanket. If there is a lull in the conversation, we tend to look to technology for a relief. Scrolling through a newsfeed or texting is a way to take away from the present uncomfortable situation and appears to engage in something else.
Technology offers benefits to our communication as well. Having the ability to contact someone thousands of miles away instantly is a luxury that did not exist 100 years ago. With the innovations that are constantly emerging, it is incredibly easy to stay in contact with friends and relatives that are in other states and continents.
“Living in a different state than my parents can be tough, but with facetime and texting, I communicate with them almost everyday despite living a thousand miles away,” Maddie Dekko said.
According to Bright Hub, the smaller more portable keyboards on phones have made communication increasingly less formal. The way we communicate has increased in frequency and decreased in quality. How we move forward with our communication could have a big impact on how our society functions as a whole.
Being social is not just how many friends one has on facebook or how many likes on an instagram picture, but rather the real connections made with the people. However, without technology it would be nearly impossible to stay up to date with all the latest happenings around Orono, let alone the rest for the world. Technology has increased the speed at which news travels thus increasing the speed of conversation.
Technology may offer a quick solution for a conversation, but those deep meaningful conversations should be saved for a face to face conversation it can be worth the wait to see a reaction in person rather than just jet a few words on a lit up screen.