Communication:
But where’s the Conversation?
Gideon T. Russell

Communication in our society is ever so changing and it steadily evolves.  We have gone through the era where letter writing and face to face communication was prevalent. We are now at a time in our society where the main form of day to day communication comes from cell phone texting and internet social networks. So with all these technical forms of communication, where has the conversation gone?

So what is communication? Communication is the process of transferring information from one being or entity to another.  Within the process of communication there are also other factors that are involved.  We must listen or read the information, comprehend it, then process the information before we can transfer it back.

We now know what communication is, but do we know how to hold a conversation?  Conversation is the “spoken” exchange of thoughts, opinions, and feelings.  In the art of communication, you can transfer information in a variety of ways. There are letters, ads, billboards, commercials, emails, texts, and many more forms. There are many forms of communications and we use many on a daily basis.   When it comes to conversation, there is only one way to transfer information.  Conversation is one of the oldest forms of communication.  All it requires us to do is open our mouth and speak, focus our thoughts to comprehend, and engage our ears to listen.

We can sit hours and hours in front a computer, engaging with a cyber world that we do not see face to face on a regular basis or at all. A lot of people put so much time, effort, and energy into their cyber lives that they forget how to interact and converse in their actual life.  In some cases the cyber life that they create is the only life they know, and they feel out of place in the real world.

Facebook is one of the prominent social networks in our society right now. We all know of, work with, have family members or we may be that person that every move of the day is shared with the entire cyber world.  We share our entire lives with a world that we really do not know.  “Good morning ________ world, what should I eat for breakfast.  “I'm at the barbershop should I get a fade or taper”.  “Does anyone have any ideas on what I should cook for dinner?” “I’m about to get to bed, so I will talk to you all in the morning”.  Some people write spiritual quotes and scriptures, but in the majority of their pictures they are half naked or every other word they write is a curse word. I’m not judging anyone but please just use common sense.  When I do get on these sites and read some of the comments that people write, all I can say is T.M.I - too much info. With social network you don’t have to share information that should only be shared in your household or just way too much info for everyone else. Please use discretion.

Imagine this scenario, sitting at the computer for an hour or so, but when you actually get up and check the time, 5 hours has gone by. Before you even know it, you have been on one of your favorite social network sites and you haven’t accomplished anything.

A lot of people would prefer to spend more quality time hovered over a computer communicating with people that they will never know rather than spending quality time with their spouse, girl/boyfriend, children, or other love ones. 

In some cases the household computer gets more love and attention than the significant other that shares the house with them. The computer gets all the attention.  One person may be in the living room watching TV, and the other will be on the computer spending quality time with their loved one. The computer and cyber world has become their new companion.  Instead of joining their mate on the couch and cuddle while watching a movie, they would rather spend all their free time and couple time with the computer.  So a question I ask where has the conversation gone? Where is the companionship and the love inside the home?

In this society, we have become so caught up with social networks and cell phone texting that we have forgotten how to hold a face to face conversation with the people we love. We have forgotten how to have true relationships with our loved ones.

For some, social networking and texting are the first things they do when they wake in the morning. They log on to the computer to tell the cyber world good morning.  Before they even rub the crust out of our eyes, they check their cell phone to see if anyone sent a text. They spend hours and hours of their day occupied in this world.  Throughout the day and before they go to sleep they spend more time caught up on Facebook, twitter, and other social network sites. Social network sites aren’t that serious and we must realize that.  We can't get the cyber world confused with the real world. 

In order to not get caught up in the cyber world, spend more quality time with family and friends and less time hovered over a computer or your cell phone.  Instead of always texting your family and friends, give them a phone call or meet up face to face.  Place more value on your relationships with family and friends. Hold a true conversation instead of spending time in the cyber world. 

Conversation is the “spoken” exchange of thoughts, opinions, and feelings.  The key word is spoken.  So when you go through your day place value on the conversations that you have.

Some side notes to remember;
*The lack of communication or true back and forward conversation is the number two reason for divorce.
*There is a big difference in talking to someone and talking at someone.
*In a conversation you don’t always have to be the dominant person.
*Conversations usually have two parts - speaking and listening.  So if you are doing more of the talking, take a step back and try to hear what others are saying.

Thank you and be Blessed…