"
Face-to-face conversations immerse us in a continuous multichannel
sensory experience—only a fraction of which can be transferred via text
or video message. Communicating solely through technology robs us of the
richer neurological effects of in-person interactions and their
potential to alleviate feelings of loneliness and depression."
I couldn't have said it better myself. You can read all about this in a recent
WSJ article entitled, "Why Personal Tech is Depressing." But don't just read about it. Make a point to seek out face-to-face communication.
Isn't it more fun to BE in a parade than to watch one on tv?
Isn't it more fun to be there in person when someone you admire speaks than to just watch them on a youtube video on your phone?
When a board frequently makes decisions by conference call, aren't they more bonded to the organization and each other when they meet in person every so often?
Face-to-face communication takes more time and effort to arrange. But it's worth it.
Colleen -
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more.Face-to-face communication with people is so important. I read in one of my Psychology text books when we are communicating with another individual of our liking the neurotransmitter (NT) 'Dopamine' is released. The "feel - good" NT. Ironic that there have been other studies published saying the same NT is released when people are on social media - I can try and relocate these if you want to read them! Especially in today's society it is so easy to communicate with others on various social media cites. It's easier to just shoot a text to someone on their birthday, or Facebook message someone. With the increase in technology, personal communication is declining, wouldn't you think so? That's not to say personal communication is completely gone, no. But as technology has advanced, personal communication is more so done on those little devices we love so much. Do you feel that you spend more time on forms of technology than you would like? I really enjoyed this blog post, because I am trying this new idea of "being present". Meaning - being present at each moment of the day. Whether I am in class and enjoying a conversation with my fellow classmates, or I am driving home from class and blasting my favorite song belting out the words. I feel that I (and I am sure others feel this way too) loose track of time when I am scrolling through my Facebook feed. Being present, and being a part of personal communication is so important. There's so much I could say on this topic.
- Allie Argue :)
Thanks for your comments! I think people are still communicating - but more so via technology. And I think that is a trade off. While it can be more convenient, there are other things that are sacrificed. I think there's something to be said for engaging all the senses when communicating. And I think a shared experience is important as well. There's something unique about having a group of people all in one room sharing a conversation or watching a film together.
DeleteI definitely find that I am spending too much time on technology. I try to have planned periods of time when I do not use technology. I think reading books I can hold in my hands is really important. And I even try to make time for the lost art of phone calls. I don't think we know yet how all this technology use is impacting our brain and our attention spans. I wish I could end this on a more positive note! Okay - here's a positive thought - it is nice to see that there are people like you out there who are also thinking these same things! That is encouraging!
Thank you Colleen for your feedback -
DeleteTechnology is great in the sense that it opens up so many gateways for communication. I mean how cool is it that I can FaceBook message my sister while she is in Europe and not have to pay an arm and a leg for roaming charges. There are so many advantages but with those, comes disadvantages. I really don't like this new technology movement.
But yes, positive thoughts - uhm... I'm glad you and I were able to communicate about this face-to-face communication debate! See you in class tomorrow :)
Face to face communication is certainly declining with the mass usage of technology today. Technology is a blessing and a curse with us being able to communicate worldwide, but at the same time so many people use it as an escape from face to face communication. There's just something about being in person that's just different from communicating over a phone or computer. Future generations will have to deal with this (our children, our kids kids...etc) and it will have major effect on their social skills. I think that education systems should require students to take communication classes at younger ages and during high school. This will help students develop social skills that are often necessary for the workforce.
ReplyDeletethanks for your comment, Matt. Whenever I watch an old episode of Star Trek, I find it fascinating to see how we thought the future would look. The crew on the bridge of the Enterprise could just pull out their devices and talk to their coworkers who were in other parts of the ship or even on a different planet. And yet, we don't do that today, do we? We text. I often wonder what communication will really be like in the future.
DeleteKorey W.
ReplyDeleteI think face to face communication is kind of getting pushed aside as technology advances. I think it is kind of scary in a sense, for example when you see people packed on a subway and everybody is staring at their phone screens. I feel as if the new generations of people are losing people interacting skills, to the point where they don't know how to acknowledge a person who they are going to be sitting next to for the next 15 minutes for a train ride.
People need people, sometimes when I have a simple conversation with fellow class mate or even a stranger it can make my entire day. This is a example of the positive affects of face to face communication. Also I have friends who work from home a few days a week from their computer. I mean I would like to be able to do this one day, but in reality they are definitely taking advantage of the system and not committing their full attention to work the entire time. I am excited to see what technology is going to bring us in the future, because things have been changing at an extremely fast pace.
Korey - you raise a lot of good points. My favorite insight from your post is about the ability of a stranger to impact your whole day by just a few words. Working from home has its advantages and disadvantages, but I'm sure your friends who work from home often crave face to face contact. I find that it makes me more productive, energized and content. Thanks for your comments!
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