Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Telephones and e-mail have made communication between people less personal.



Technology in present days has made communication between people easy and comfortable. However, a conversation through telephone or e-mail can never be as real as a face to face talk. I agree with the statement that technological ways of contact between people have made communication less personal because the expressions, emotions, and reactions of people can not be seen or expressed.
Certainly, when people talk on the phone they laugh or cry, thus, showing their emotions. Even so, the communication through telephone is not the same as a real talk because the gestures and face expressions of the correspondents are not seen. As we know there is a whole study of body language exactly because it is so important in the contact between people and when people talk on the phone or chat through e-mails they are deprived of the ability to observe one another. That way people do not really bond and truly engage in the conversation and this is why that kind of connection is much more impersonal.
On the other hand, when people use e-mail or telephone to communicate, they show only what they want their opponent to see or hear, which is not that easy during face to face conversation. In other words, this type of communication is controlled and is less real and spontaneous. For instance, I have a friend who lives in America and we correspond through e-mails. Soon she told me that she is not coming back to Bulgaria for at least two more years. I was crushed and also very angry. I knew she did not have a choice so I calmed down and wrote her that will be supportive and I will miss her. However, I she had told this to my face I would have shouted and I would have made a big scene. That is what I mean by saying that communication through phone or e-mail is not so spontaneous: people control their momentary reactions more that they could if they were in front of the person. This can be sometimes an advantage but there is no doubt that is makes the communication through technology less personal.
In conclusion, I think that telephones and e-mails are a really good way to keep in touch with someone. However, that kind of communication cannot be compared to the real face to face talk because many times words are not enough. The through personal bonding during a conversation cannot be achieved through telephones or e-mail and that is why they have made communication between people less special and delicate.

3 comments:

  1. Hey its raven from America. Do you remember me? You wrote me a letter. We sound really similar and I am looking forward to communticating with you. My teacher wants me to comment on your work so here goes...I agree that face to face bonding is way important. You say "people" too much. Its way too personal and some people might take offense to it. Its good though and i completely agree with what you said.:)

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  2. I absolutely think that telephones and email have made communication and relationships less personal. I rely on email and texting so that I don't have to speak to someone. It's kind of sad that the various ways we find to communicate actually makes the communication less personal.

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