The essay “The Most Important Skill Nobody Taught You”, by Zat Rana was an awesome read because of its accuracy and relativity to this course and the state of our world as we know it. Considering the fact that I am constantly thinking about connectivity, mediums and platforms as a communications major, I enjoyed the idea of truly looking at isolation as the contrast to constant contact. I feel confident in assuming nearly everyone considers themselves connected using web based technology. I’m similarly confident in saying nearly everyone is fearful of being left to their own thoughts and no access to the enticing and addicting pipeline that sensationalizes the thoughts of others.
Today, to communicate, you can do as little as “like” something someone said on social media, or even in the context of class work on a discussion board. No eye contact, self confidence, no waiting, no having to sit up, stand, travel nor money required. All you need is access to and a basic understanding of technology and you are communicating. While this levels the playing field for nearly everyone, we evade the core purpose and essence of communicating by removing the effort that we once made. An effort once rewarded by a response that was preceded by a waiting period. This wait, was uncomfortable for the most part but it was a part of the noise in communication that made receiving a response so enticing. It is the time that we put into communicating in both sending and responding that makes communication special.
The textbook we’ve used in class this semester gives us all a clear understanding of communicating via modern technology. I do, however find that the reason we are more disconnected than connected with all this connection is due to new technology that has for the most part eliminated our need for patience or the act of waiting. It is the absence of waiting that makes us impatient so quickly these days. People want everything instantly and that’s just the way it is in every context from ordering food to receiving a text response they sent 3 milliseconds ago.
I can remember when I would write my pen pal in elementary school in the 80s. I’d write neatly, edit and rewrite until my letter was presentable, carefully include tiny pictures and including some form of art that I hand drew. I took pride in even sealing addressing and stamping the envelope. The process coupled with waiting for a response was what makes communication so special. The idea, for me, was to represent my thoughts and creativity in such a way that a response from my friend in Canada would reciprocate and we’d share this relay for many many years. Meeting wasn’t important initially, it was about the amazing process, bravery and effort of revealing our inner selves. There’s always the long wait between our letters and I think that’s what made this form of communicating so beautiful. There’s a process and in those days we were perfectly fine with and had the patience for it. Though we wrote back and forth several times waiting sharing everything from photos of field trips, drawings and details of our lives as military brats, the letters came less and less and we’d eventually lose touch. As wonderful as it would have been to continue, I appreciate what we had and that 32 years later, I can still remember the excitement of opening my freshly delivered letter that I had to wait nearly 3 weeks to get.
I am inspired by this essay you prompted to enjoy isolation more. I am perfectly fine with being alone especially keeping in mind it’s a whole different thing when you’re taking technology out of it. I’d have to say this class of all my communications courses opened my mind to relearning everything I was never formally taught.