A Comparison of Modes of Communication - Essay Example

?Modes of Communication - A Comparison In the old days, long distance correspondence could only be conducted through either one of two ways: telecommunication, and letters. Back then, only rich people could afford to have a telephone of their own, which meant that most people had to wait up to months between each letter to be able to communicate to each other. More importantly, so many things could go wrong with such letters. Even assuming they would actually reach the intended addressee, there would be nothing stopping someone with few scruples from reading them along the way, whether simply for kicks or for more nefarious purposes. Then came the digital age, which brought all manner of change to the way we live our lives. For instance, valuable commodities such as information are now accessible in a matter of seconds, unlike in the old days where one could search an entire library and still come up empty-handed. Things that would have been unheard of in the past are now taken for granted - for instance, having a thousand songs is no achievement thanks to the internet, unlike in the past where one would have to spend an exorbitant sum of money on cassettes and/or CDs. On the whole, life as we know it has become much more convenient. Such convenience is best exemplified in the ease with which communication can be done nowadays. Conversations can now be done in real time regardless of physical distance, in stark contrast to the old days where correspondence could only happen once every few months. This is in stark contrast to the modern era where, thanks to recent innovations such as the internet and mobile phones, getting in touch with family and friends takes a few minutes at most and is unlikely to expend much energy on one's part as well. In fact, both of these innovations are so commonplace that even small children are likely to own a mobile phone and/or at least a tablet computer, both of which can be used for long-distance communication among other things. It also helps that the devices themselves are small enough to bring anywhere, such that one could even carry on a mobile phone conversation while taking a shower. And from a psychological point of view, the physical distance and the rather impersonal nature of such modes of communication place less pressure on someone who needs to convey less than pleasant messages or sentiments. Of course, such modes of communication also have their drawbacks. For one thing, as already mentioned, the physical distance and impersonality - and, in the case of the internet, the complete and utter anonymity - also pave the way for a form of long distance bullying with little fear of reprisal. To a lesser extent, too, the impersonal nature of such communication has a way of reducing the message to mere words, which makes it harder to guess at the truthfulness or the sincerity of the person conveying it. That being said, the benefits still outweigh the drawbacks. Communication has indeed become easier and more convenient than ever, with even two people located on opposite ends of the earth able to talk to each other in real time thanks to such devices. Midnight bonding with loved ones residing elsewhere can be done either over the phone or online, with the latter having the additional benefit of keeping bills from skyrocketing too high. Even the impersonal nature of such modes of communication, too, can be done away with, thanks to video conferencing services such as Skype which allow one to actually see the person he is talking to. That being said, even personal communication still has its uses sometimes. Besides one being able to convey the message better when face-to-face with the person being communicated with, there are abstractions that become more readily apparent when up close and personal. It becomes easier to tell when someone is lying, based on his microexpressions and other forms of nonverbal communication, which HR practitioners would readily attest to. On a more personal level, too, to say 'I love you' to someone tends to have much more impact when spoken directly to that person's face, as opposed to text messaging or instant messaging where such words tend to become meaningless at times. But even this has its own drawbacks. Again, as already mentioned, the impact of one's message tends to be over nine thousand times greater when up close and personal. Words of love become more loving, while insults and other disparaging remarks become more scathing, depending on their gravity. And of course, such methods of communication may not always be practical, and may in fact be impossible depending on the circumstances - which is the main reason long distance communication is used so widely nowadays. Again, though, the prevalence of long distance or electronic communication does not necessarily mean that personal communication is no longer needed. Messages are always better conveyed in person, and indeed, there are those sentiments that can only truly be conveyed when face-to-face with the person one is addressing. If nothing else, one has little reason to send a text message or an instant message to a person who happens to be right in the same room. Modes of Communication - A Conclusion From all that has been said, it should be clear that both long distance or electronic communication, as well as personal communication have their respective advantages and disadvantages. Where the former has the advantage of convenience, especially in this day and age, the latter still wins in terms of impact. Where the former could be misused, the latter tends to be more foolproof. And of course, there are messages that can only truly be conveyed face-to-face, though this may be physically impossible depending on one's circumstances. In short, the world needs both long distance and personal communication. Long distance communication can be a very powerful tool to have - to say nothing of the mobile phones and computers themselves - but messages tend to lose their impact in the processes. And conversely, personal communication may not always be possible. This being the case, then, it falls to the individual to judge which mode of communication is more appropriate in a given situation, and then act accordingly. Read More