Thursday, February 24, 2011

The Gods Of Communication

We're in a world where information is at our fingertips on any subject, anywhere at any time. We communicate via text, Facebook, Twitter and loads of other online or handheld portals, devices and screens. And that scares the shit out of me.

Why?

Because face-to-face communication suffers. Things are lost in translation or meaning when it's in an email or text or on a social media platform of your choice. We're so connected we've actually lost connection. For me, personally, it has made me communicate in shorter messages (thanks, Twitter), utilize more electronic devices and become desensitized to personal relationships by just firing off my POV and tons of words flowing out of my mouth like the Red River overflowing. And I fucking hate it. I've allowed the work I do to creep into my home life––something I've worked hard to avoid for the last 30 years so I can have a healthy and happy relationship with my family.

Now maybe this means I'm just getting old(er) or I'll just have to suck it up and roll with it because this type of communication is here to stay––"this" being a multi-tasking, ADD-ish, living online or on the cellie all the time while always worrying about missing something––as those who are younger than me will some day rule the world whether I like it or not. (Even my cancer Doctors communicate via email and share info electronically constantly). But as I write this post I've gone back to the realization that it's ME who chooses how/when/where/why/what I communicate. I'm the one who controls what comes out of my mouth––yeah, I can hear those of you who know me saying stuff about my mouth and the lack of control I really have––and that's something I can work on every day.

Can I get a collective "Thank God"?