Dana in Geeksville

Digital Voices Worldwide

A friend of mine once exclaimed, "I hate email. It's too impersonal, too static, too dry. Computers are ruining our society, not helping. There is nothing like in-person communication." True there is nothing like in-person communication, but she's missing the point entirely.

I have had in-person communications with many people who are dry and static in person. Being body to body does not guarantee lively, helpful communication. It's not the medium we use to communicate, but how we communicate with one another.

Emails can be rich with emotion, details, and color, as can a text message, a blog page, or a podcast. They can also be dry and hideously boring. The quality of communication always depends directly on the communicator. Speech, email, dead wood letters, blogs, and voice mails are simply tools for conveying information and communication. Don't bash the method!

The great advantage I see in digital communications such as email, blogs, and podcasts are that they reach worldwide. This can, of course, raise global noise to extremes, but we are also now communicating with people we never would have touched in any way previously. I have friends all over the world. That's something my grandmother could not say. Her friends were limited to her city.

We can broadcast issues and news, share interests, commiserate, and work collaboratively without ever leaving our homes. Again this increases a lot of digital garbage, but it's like anything else . . . pick and choose wisely.

I hear the same thing said in reference to TVs. TV, many claim, is all crap and bad for the mind. "People should be reading more!" says another friend. I have to pipe in here that I have read many crappy books and magazines in my day. Just because something is in print does not mean it's valuable. And I watch what I consider quality viewing on TV, such as great science and nature shows, histories and biography, etc.

And while I'm at it, can we quit knocking entertainment in general. Entertainment, whatever your favorite format is, has it's place and its value. Of course, like anything else, it's is best enjoyed in moderation. Like anything else, you need to be mindful of what you are stuffing in your head no matter whether it's something from the internet, a book, watching live performances, or a movie.

Spreading our digital voices worldwide also has it's place and value. It's an excellent opportunity for us to befriend people globally, to be mindful of our speech and sensitive to others, and it enables people to be heard who might otherwise be forced into silence due to geography.

Like it or not, digital voices is the present and will continue to play powerful roles in the future. Thankfully!

Posted at 01:33PM Aug 11, 2008 by dananourie in Communications  |  Comments[0]