Are we losing the art of Conversation when face to face?
There are so many avenues of communication currently available to us. Telephone (fixed land line and mobile), telegrams, e-mails, conventional letters, chat lines, video calling etc. In having all the access to technology are we losing the art of the human factor when we communicate?
E-Mails, Instant Messaging and Networking
We have come a long way with the invention of e-mails, the electronic/technological revolution has given us access to so much information out there. I am all for technology but feel that the human factor is being lost somewhere along the way.
Keeping in touch with people has become a lot easier and there are no excuses, there are so many avenues. The most common way for keeping in touch seems to be using e-mails, then there is the sending of SMS/Text through the mobile phones and now it seems the most popular way is to be through the social networking programs.
E-mails are a fantastic way of keeping in touch, it does not matter where you are in the world, you can write til your hearts content knowing that the recipient will receive your letter instantly, no more waiting weeks for a letter to come through your letter box. There is instant messaging like MSN and Yahoo messengers. There are facilities to have a video call like Skype, also available with MSN, this is absolutely fantastic when you are away from your loved ones, especially if you have a webcam where you can see and speak with them.
Use of Instant Messaging at the work place
Recently my company has installed a program called communicator, it works on the same principal of the instant messaging programs such as MSN and Yahoo messenger.
I questioned the decision to install the program. Although in principal it is a good decision, I felt this would be open to more abuse. I have already seen how the use of e-mail in majority of cases has been used legitimately and some (the minority) have abused it. I have also seen people hiding behind e-mails, sending e-mails to someone who sits next to them where a simple discussion face to face would have been more beneficial and then followed up by an e-mail.
I feel more time will be wasted in sending instant messages, where it be far easier and more time saving by making a simple phone call. I think that the use of this particular technology is not one I would use in the work place, there are other programs out there which serves the purpose better.
Art of conversation.
In my experience in talking with various people, especially the younger generation, I feel that we are losing the art of conversation when we are face to face, so many of the people I have spoken with find it easier to communicate and express themselves better by the written word, I get the impression that they feel more comfortable and confident writing to their friends. However, these are my observations and is a huge generalisation to make, I am sure someone out there will have a different experience and opinion.
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Tags: communication, Conversation, instant messaging, invention, social networking, technological revolution, technology