Technological Change vs Cultural Change of Old and New Communication Media - Research Paper Example

Technological Change vs Cultural Change of Old and New Communication Media Introduction There are major differences between traditional mail and social networking media. Traditional mail has its hands full and relied profoundly on a one-to-many paradigm. The brand often created a message and transmitted it to the masses through traditional delivery forms. Traditional mail is a one-way communication system that does not create an engagement towards promoting a word of mouth approach. On the other hand, social media of communication such as Facebook represents a paradigm shift or change in the view of the world rather than the use of a simple set of tactics. The difference between these two forms of media is interesting and understanding the differences is critical in the communication process. The essay analyzes the basic relationship between technological change and cultural change with special attention to traditional mail and Facebook. Traditional Mail vs. Facebook Modes of communication, whether traditional mail or social media are classified as synchronous or asynchronous. Synchronous communication is a common characteristic of Facebook and related social media communication platforms. Through these platforms, two or more communicating individuals engage in interactive and real-time conversations, though not physically connected (Anna, Tanya and John 9). That means all the communicating parties have the ability to talk and listen to each other at the same time. Ideally, synchronous communication cuts across all forms of instant messaging services that are considered to be instant. On the other hand, traditional mail is considered an asynchronous communication (Pinchot, Paullet and Rota 7). With traditional mail, people send messages and trust that they will receive a response eventually. The overall interaction of asynchronous communication is spread out over a long period. Each of these two forms of communication has both technological advantages and advantages. Use of Facebook and other related social media platforms are immediate and can generate an immediate response too. Communicators can both ask and answer questions interactively in a real or almost real time. On the other hand, use of traditional mail allows communicators to contact each other at a time of choosing or convenience. The communication is slow and only applicable when immediate action is not required or less important. Traditional Media vs. Modern Media Traditional media often refer to the conventional means of mass communication that have been practiced by various global communities and cultures of the ancient times. Folk media represent some of the most vibrant representations of traditional media since they reflect communication channels used by common people in a society or region. On the other hand, modern media majorly refer to mass communication characteristics of recent times, or rather the contemporary communication that relates to a recently advanced technology. Modern media are currently being followed by the postmodern media, which relates largely to mass communication and reacts against the earlier modernist principles. An analysis of the evolution of traditional and modern media depicts the perspective of the primary role of storytelling within the mass media industry. Modern media also represent the evolution of puppetry as a popular medium of entertainment and the potential of using it for entertainment education. Mass media is one of the most effective life support systems that have been used widely to create a large impact on the global future (Tom 5). However, both traditional and modern media have helped promote improved levels of communication and enhanced the sharing of information to enable sustainable development. Ideally, the two forms of communication enable a sustainable society to become an informed community. Folk media are some of the most common and vibrant forms of traditional media. Throughout the world, folk media is known to refer to communication channels used by the common people in society (David, John and Bruce 8). They are a representative of the traditional way of life-based on the beliefs, customs and arts that form a distinctive culture. It draws on the past, present and future of the people and provides them with glimpses of reality, thus resulting in entertainment and education. In most developing nations and rural areas, folk media represent the masses of people that are most deprived of the specific messages that make meaning to them. Thus, it is critical to conclude that folk media covers a wide range of old communication channels, including street theater, storytelling, song, puppetry, and dance. In contrast to the communications media used traditionally, modern forms such as the Internet, social media platforms, and interactive media refer to the communication characteristics of the recent age (Angela 1). Modern mass media addresses the serious problems affecting contemporary society together with the major public issues of the present time. Modern media, specifically refer to the present times and the other forms of communication that are new in society. In the 19th and 20th Centuries, modern media also referred to inventions and applications of new technologies in the media industry. Modern media is closely being followed by postmodern media and relates to mass communication that reacts against the earlier modernist principles. It reintroduces classical elements of style and also carries the modernist styles and practices to the extremes. Ideally, the power to tell a story is considered the core of traditional and modern media. Mass media is a logical extension of the storytelling perspective since it is the most basic level that presents knowledge in various perspectives. The information provided could be social, political, economic or scientific. Both forms of media use easy to comprehend reports that are incorporated with storytelling techniques to narrate the success and failure of the members in the community. The reports cover metaphorical, historical, psychological, philosophical implications of society. The storytelling perspective provides a simple means to document news, character, history, and the identity of the community. Traditional and modern media such as television, newspapers, street theater, and the Internet can be considered as a descendant and a variant of the types of stories that came before the invention of these media. As an important aspect of narrative communication in the contemporary times, mass media has taken on the functions played earlier by serial novels, dime novels, wax museum, staged melodramas, professional storytelling, and epic paintings. These earlier forms of communication continued into several centuries and were then supplemented by radio, television, comic books, the Web, and popular films. However, these forms do not imply the replacement of the old media with the new forms of communication that are more advanced. In most cases, both traditional and modern forms of media have coexisted. Form of communication culture Social relationships are changing at a radical speed, and a new communication culture is being formed from the desire to communicate quickly and effectively. The culture is partially formed and formulated by the new technologies and social desires among the communicating groups. Historically, culture has changed slowly and has continuously been passed from one generation to the other. Culture is a dynamic part of the people’s lives and in today’s generation, the younger generation learns from their peer and teaches the older generation about the new communication techniques that are invented on a daily basis. The human culture is set by how people decide to live their lives. Communication culture is created and even reinforced through how people live in the context of social movements and society (Kerry 3). During the old age, one was taught their communication culture while growing up. But, the taught perceptions kept changing as they grew and matured up to adulthood. In today’s society, communication culture is no longer defined statically. People grow up into a specific communication culture and then change as life progresses through time. Communication culture keeps changing on a daily basis. As people live a more global lifestyle, whether mediated through experience or media, the mode of communication keeps changing concerning the urgency and effectiveness of communication. The global experience is facilitated by the ability of the people to interact with other people from different cultures and countries on a personal level. Thoughts and images available through mass media depict that these cultures exist. However, when people get the chance to interact and talk, these differences become more of an opportunity and less of an oddity. A few critics claim that the global communication culture is snuffing out of the individual differences in a pre-packaged culture. The critics continually call for the isolation of various communities from each other in order to preserve the uniqueness that exists. The criticism though misses the fact that human culture represents a dynamic element of the society and working to freeze it can produce a lot of issues within the human society. More and people are continuously reacting to the corporate dominance and mass media for the chance to express their views and even contribute to their global culture. The modern forms of communication such as electronic mail, Facebook news, and the Internet have facilitated the growth of global interactive communities. These forums have been made possible through the use of workplaces, community networks, internet access providers, Universities, and other locations with public access capabilities. Human communication culture keeps developing and evolving, and the new public commons are more of a global nature. Many people are coming together and using more of the time communicating with people around the world. Sharing of such moments with other people has enabled the communication culture to encompass more of the people, an idea that was not available while using traditional forms of communication. Facebook newsgroups, a new culture of modern communication are relatively a young medium that attracts global attention in building human discourse and communication (Charlene 1). There is a global Facebook communication culture that can never be considered to be a separate society. Instead, Facebook is considered a super structural society that covers many mainstream societies and is dependent upon them for continued existence. The design of Facebook highlights the importance of individuals contributing to the community. Thus, the content shared through Facebook is produced by some of the elements of the community for the benefit of the whole community. In such public platforms, the communication culture requires people to share their thoughts, views and questions with the people on the same platform. The chance of the people to contribute and interact with the other people has spread Facebook and other social media platforms to become true global communities of people hooking their communication devices together. The online communication culture is primary a written plan, although most of the text is written in a non-formal manner. While people will communicate well-thought ideas, most conversations are generated in an immediate response to the other messages. Pictures and other non-text items are easily circulated through modern forms of communication, but they are primarily transferred without any modifications that are thought upon and communally worked on. There is no common shared language online since communicating individuals can decide to use their languages to pass information to a target group of people. Through text, it is also true that body language techniques and other non-verbal clues are never spelled out in the communication culture. Thus, a few communication aspects are not easily spelled out as required a real communication process. Conclusion Communication is a crucial aspect of our lives, and its importance can never be underestimated. Whether traditional mail or recent forms of communication such as Facebook, the communicating groups of people should adopt good communication tools and skills that will encourage synchronous aspects required in the communication process. Without trying to find a unique communication culture, it is difficult to build a reliable communication solution that favors the sender and receiver of the message. No form of communication is regarded as outdated and irrelevant, and the intention of the communicating individuals determines the method used. People are continuously taking charge of their communicating culture and spreading the same culture to other groups of people around the world. Works Cited Angela, Hausman. 16 Differences Between Traditional Media and Social Networking. 5 July 2012. Website. 8 April 2015. Anna, Mieczakowski, Goldhaber Tanya and Clarkson John. Culture, Communication and Change: Report on an investigation of the use and impact of modern media and technology in our lives. Cambridge: Minuteman Press, 2011. PDF. Charlene, Li. Facebook Messages Challenges Traditional Email & Portals - Carlene. 15 November 2010. Website. 08 April 2015. David, Asher, Callan John and Marsh Bruce. The Postal Service Role in the Digital Age - Expanding the Postal Platform. Chicago: np, 2004. PDF file. Kerry, Lee. "Looking Back, to Look Forward: Using Traditional Cultural Examples to Explain Contemporary Ideas in Technology Education." Journal of Technology Education (2011): 1-3. Print. Pinchot, Jamie L., Karen L. Paullet and Daniel R. Rota. How Mobile Technology is Changing Our Culture. Pittsburgh: Robert Morris University, 2010. PDF. Tom, Tyler R. "Is the Internet Changing Social Life? It Seems the More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same." Journal of Social Issues (2002): 3-10. Print. Read More