100 Sad Days: Day 49: Communication

Communication is to blame for so many things. Oftentimes it's the lack of communication that leads to misunderstandings and mistakes. However in this day of technology I think that there is an overload of communications or at least ways to communicate.

This isn't a blog about modern technology and how it is blighting our lives. Or about the information overload we have. Or misinformation from newspapers and politicians. Nor is it about the fact that I cannot survive without having to ask Google to answer things I do not know or need confirmation on.

This is about how relationships have changed due to the numerous ways we have to communicate and I am not sure it is for the better.

When I was a kid phones were attached to the wall and the handset attached to the phone. There was no wondering around or hiding in your bedroom. Your parents always knew what was going on (unless you were posh enough to have a phone in your bedroom). If you wanted to see a friend you had to make arrangements and stick to them or go round and knock for them.

As I got older the same was true. Arrangements were made I person and, more often than not, kept to. You might speak to people after school/work/college but usually that was just those you were really close to or hadn't seen for a while. It's how we kept in contact. We also had letters. Envelopes filled with love and good intention.

Then came the mobile phone and text messages and conversations became electronic. Emails were the same and saw the sad decline in envelopes through doors. We wouldn't call we would text. It was easier to break a promise or a date over text than over the phone or having to just stand someone up. It made the act faceless and almost shameless.

Now most people have smartphones. We have whatsapp and Facebook and we barely have to speak to each other. However we expect more communication than before we had then. We expect immediate responses. We don't expect people to have a life outside of us or our needs. If they don't respond within our chosen timeframe then we take offence. We can read things wrong and not in the manner they were sent. Relationships can be blown out of proportion and broken all in the same day.

Electronic communications are dangerous and should be taken with a pinch of salt and non anticipation to avoid disappointment.

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