New Ways of Communication

I found myself irked by the title of the topic, but it is a nitpicky irksomeness.  We do not actually have any way to communicate that is not through graphics or sound.  While email and telephones are fast, the way we communicate when using them is not new at all.  Still, we all understand what is being really being referred to - the technology that is used in most modern communication, especially internet technology in various forms.  It might have been more precise to say something like "Advances in Communication Technology" or "The Impact of Modern Technology on Communication", but that is not how the topic was presented.  We just have to deal with what we have.  In most cases, people bring up this idea in order to complain about the changes wrought by new technologies, arguing that they stamp out the humanity and the closeness of our links to each other and encourage isolation in spite of their intended use of sharing information.  These arguments have been made for every new technology that takes root in human society throughout history.  This fear of the consequences leads to communities like the Amish or homesteaders/back-to-the-land movements, or more dangerously, anti-vaxxers.  While there is quite often no harm in a person rejecting new technologies for herself, it is also true that there is little real reason to do so.  Humanity has always adapted to new technologies, in spite of some social problems that come up because of them, and the difficulties posed by WhatsApp and emojis are little more than blips on the radar compared to the advantages they offer most.  During the discussion, the issue of internet anonymity and its negative effect on behavior came up, and I did have to admit that this is danger that we face if we do not pay attention to our communication online.  Whereas in the past, in my past even, problems with classmates or coworkers were easy to leave behind once that school/workday was over, now everyone is on social media, and tormentors can find their targets on Facebook, Twitter, any blog or message board they frequent, and continue the harassment.  In some cases, particularly among young people, the constant bombardment can result in suicide.  Still, this is a danger that reflects the testing of boundaries in our new freedom of expression.  It is bad, and should be pointed out as improper and sometimes even unethical and illegal, but I maintain that the advantages of our new communication options still outweigh the downsides.

The Source was very concerned with the losses inherent in modern communication technology, focusing on the loss of physical contact and sophistication of language at first.  She also mentioned the lack of identification of the communicator that leaves recipients open to email scams and fake accounts phishing for information.  The discussion drifted into less personal communication to spend some time with news and information transmission, where a number of us agreed that our sources were much more limited in the past.  In this arena, the Source was fully in support of modern technology, calling it heavenly, and saying social media is perfect for sharing opinions and data that is not present in "official" reports.  However, in the end she backtracked a little, and wondered if the addiction to social media should be considered a genuine mental illness and reminded us of the dangers of not protecting our privacy online.

The True Philosopher also had some qualms about the wording of the title, and clarified that the new thing we have is a scenario rather than any new way of communicating.  One of the problems he sees caused by new technology is the deterioration of hand-writing, leaving us dependent on keyboards to create legible notes to each other.  Another change is the sense of time we have in sending and receiving information, since in the past days, weeks, or longer could pass before a reply was received, while today we expect everything to happen immediately.  In response to the charge of impersonal modern communication, he pointed out that Skype allows people to see as well as hear each other, which is almost as good as being in the same room face to face.  The news focus was also addressed, as he himself had been a reporter and seen first hand how information can be manipulated to prop up some and cut down others.  The good thing today is that information is available to be checked and compared with official versions, although not all of it is easy to find.  One must develop some google-fu.  We can also communicate with the providers of information to ask for more details or some clarifying statement, which is much different from the way things were in the past.  The thing to remember is that we cannot return to the past, at least not in a meaningful way.  We can only adapt to our present and prepare as best we can for the future.

The Leader wrote a bit about the presentation of information and what we expect to find today versus what we accept in other times.  He spoke of the possibilities we have today of double-checking the information we are fed, and emphasized the change in mindset that has come about.  We are not happy with news stories that do not contain photos or other images, and demand everything be presented in ways that jolt the emotions.  He also made reference to the information overload mentioned by others, but preferred to focus on the availability of information at our fingertips.  Authority can make it difficult to find information, but the speed with which the comment that there is something being hidden can circle the world makes it more difficult for this tactic to work today.  His final point was that the education we give to our citizens is inadequate for the world we have created, leaving people with no idea of how to behave in the new spaces of the internet, or while using other forms of technology in public places.  While there are dangers and people who choose to behave badly, such as trolls, this is not enough to support a reduction in the use of modern technology, but to insist on an overhaul of education so that people learn what is expected of them and know how to avoid modern dangers.

A Newcomer stated that an important part of the attraction to modern technology is the feeling of belonging we can derive by using it.  On one hand, we meet people who share our opinions and interests, even if only over the internet, and on the other hand, the gadgets themselves mark people as belonging to different groups.  Our opportunities to find friends and colleagues are greatly increased; nevertheless, the connection tends to be shallow and superficial.  We do enjoy images as transmitters of information, but often they are only cheap means of emotional manipulation.  They can blind us from the truth rather than shed light on the situation.  Even having the facts available does not mean that we have the time to search for and analyze them.  It becomes much easier to accept the information we are fed, despite knowing that not all of it is true.  The reporters are not completely at fault, nor are the news providers, as the public demands news seconds after the event, giving no time for facts to be checked and corroborated.  The story must break immediately and everyone wants to get the scoop.  Errors can be corrected, of course, but by then we are all reading and listening to the next story.

The Deep Thinker also remarked on the impossibility of going back in time.  One of the most important aspects of technological advancement in the field of communications is the transparency it offers.  In fact, having less privacy could lead us to a safer, nicer world.  Being aware of the darkness that exists, we should be careful about what we share, of course, but the important thing is that we have the power over what we make public and what we keep to ourselves.

In spite of the topic, we were treated to no bellowing this time.  Indeed, it was made clear before the start that while hollering to to combat bad acoustics may be acceptable, hollering at is frowned upon.  Sometimes information does not reach the most appropriate target.