Heather H. Kuhnhenn
Professors Smith and Wells-Edwards
English 101 OL
Extinction of Wholesome Communication
The current generation uses email, texting and the social media (i.e. Facebook) for an easy and convenient way to keep in contact with people, or “friends.” This has become quite different than the traditional way of communicating we have grown up with. A simple phone call, lunch date or letter, to catch up with friends and family to see what new events are happening in their lives has become a thing of the past. Wholesome communication, being hand written letters, face to face contact and phone calls, are becoming a rarity. With every advancement in communication technology, our tradition of wholesome conversation is slowly deteriorating.
Emailing, an easily accessible commodity is slowly destroying hand written conversation. In “This is How We Live” by Ellen DeGeneres she states “Everyone likes to talk about how advancements in technology will change the way we live forever. Frankly, I think modern technology is hurting us.” (638) Now the thought of having to write a letter is exhausting compared to typing out a quick email. The idea of finding a pen and paper and thinking of what to write without the backspace or spell check button right within a finger’s reach is a deal breaker for most. Not to mention having to hunt down a stamp and envelope and having to make an extra stop at the mailbox. All these overwhelming steps we use to do daily, have become unthinkable next to emailing. But what email doesn’t have is thought and excitement that is entailed in writing or receiving a hand written letter. The anticipation when a letter is delivered, opening the envelope and reading over the pristine penmanship, or not so pristine, shows that someone cares enough to take the time out of their day to indulge in honest, hand written conversation. Emailing takes away this excitement to even participate in a hand written conversation. When the words “You’ve Got Mail” play, it’s no longer a sound of personal thrill. Once all the spam is sorted and bill reminders and a single personal email is remaining the enthusiasm is gone, making that black and white screen cold and uninviting. In so doing, making writing back in an email less likely, so this cuts the conversation shorter if not all together. Email is unfortunately slowly eliminating being able to converse with someone through the hand written word.
Text messaging has limited verbal conversation and interaction with people physically around. Texting has become such an issue that it has become difficult for people to make phone calls. The idea of verbally speaking with someone can be stressful and when the call goes to voicemail relief washes over. Texting has limited our verbal communication so much that it even affects the people physically around, due to the distraction of an electronic conversation taking place. Something so simple like talking with someone shouldn’t be touched when it comes to advancements. Like Henry Petroski says in “The Toothpick”, “It (a toothpick) consists of a single part, made of a single material, intended for a single purpose – from which it gets its simple name.” (677) Talking with someone has now become too complicated where we find the need to find new ways to do it. Something so basic and necessary shouldn’t be messed with, just like a toothpick is perfect the way it is. Texting also creates very emotionless, cut and dry conversations that can be easily misinterpreted. Maybe a sentence response or less, it also has even simplified the English language. Now not only can we not take the time to speak with someone on our cell phones but we cannot even take the time to write out words. Now “Oh my gosh” is “OMG”, or “just kidding” is “JK”. Text messaging is too impersonal to be considered a primary source of conversation but in the last year alone it has jumped from 65% to 72% of all cell phone owners who text message. Soon the tradition of verbal conversation on a cell phone will be extinct with texting spreading.
Facebook creates the most limitation to the tradition of wholesome communication. Facebook makes it so that no personal contact is ever needed with your “friends”. It is no longer necessary to call a friend or meet up with them to learn what is going on in their lives. It is the most impersonal means of communication out there, based mostly on social status where the number of friends is more important than the quality of the relationships. In this case no communication would be better. It’s almost that in itself, “no communication”. Facebook has made writing an electronic sentence to someone a stand alone qualification of being someone’s friend. It has even taken the excitement out of telling family and “friends” great news, the only excitement received in response is an exclamation point at the end of their response. This has discouraged wholesome communication with friends and family, with social status and convenience.
Although advances in technology have strongly diminished our tradition of real conversation, there are advantages. The different types of technology all help fit communication into our busy schedules. Email is quick and convenient. If there isn’t enough time to sit down and write out a letter to someone or stop at a post office, an email can be sent in minutes. Text messaging limits in depth conversations but is great for needing a quick answer or multi-tasking since it doesn’t require being on the phone for a period of time talking to someone constantly. Facebook is great for keeping in contact with friends or family who live far away and creates a consistent way to communicate. With Facebook capabilities it’s easy to see “friends’” updates and are able to keep up with them, even with a busy schedule that doesn’t always make it easy to get together. Also if there are geographical issues, and distance and expensive long distance phone calls make it economically not an option. Unfortunately the pros of the technology advances are no where near the cons, and wholesome conversation, whether on the phone, in person, or in a hand written letter should not be replaced by anything.
As we continue to make advances in technology the tradition of personal conversation between one person to another is changing quickly. First with email in the 70s, then text messaging in 1992, and Facebook in 2004, technology is slowly advancing but causing wholesome communication to diminish along the way. The tradition of wholesome communication should not be something replaced with convenience, as our relationships are too substantial in our lives to sacrifice. This new tradition in our generation of advancements in technology and the social media is slowly destroying any wholesome relationships we have.
Work Cited
Walt Howe. A Brief History of the Internet. 24 March 2010
Web. 27 Feb 2011
“Text Messaging Statistics.” QWASI, Inc., N.p. 2 July 2010
Web. 27 Feb 2011
“What year did Facebook launch it’s site?” ChaCha Search, Inc., N.p. 5 Feb 2011
Web. 27 Feb 2011-02-28
Petroski, Henry. “The Toothpick.” Remix
Latterell, Catherine G. Bedford: St. Martin ’s, 2010. 677-685. Print.
DeGeneres, Ellen. “This Is How We Live.” Remix
Latterell, Catherine G. Bedford: St. Martin ’s, 2010. 638-642. Print.
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