A Look into the Dying Art of Face-to-Face Communication
Since social media entered our lives, there have been a slew of criticisms about it in the form of art works, film, and literature, but perhaps no one has been able to capture the disapproval so accurately than Dave Eggers in his best-selling fiction thriller “The Circle.” In the book, Eggers’ characters debate that communication done through social media is nothing more than mere “snack food”—no nourishment, just empty calories. In the book, Eggers’ characters even suggest that going on a digital binge or spending too much time online is akin to eating a while bag of chips in one sitting: you still end up feeling “wasted and hollow.”
While we can’t deny the rewards that social media has offered us whether we are reaching out to a friend or family member miles and miles away or scheduling a last-minute surprise birthday party for a loved one, apps like Facebook Messenger or What’s App has us covered. Unfortunately, if we reap rewards, we also encounter bumps along the way. Let’s take a closer look below at the lost art of in-person communication in the midst of virtual communication.
No In-person Interactions, no problems
Social media has in some way changed the way we deal with problems. If we have to deliver a piece of bad news to a friend or family member, say we lost a precious piece of jewellery we borrowed from them to attend a lavish party, we don’t feel the importance of delivering it in person and instead settle for a virtual medium because it’s the easier way out. This way, we can easily say our apologies via instant message while providing ourselves the privilege to escape the repercussions of our mistake and avoid the messy aftermath. We remain unscathed so to speak.
On the other end of the spectrum, we hope the recipient of the message does not make a big deal out of the bad news we’ve just delivered, and we assume that they get the hint that the mere fact we used an online medium means that the news is of trite importance anyway and that it’s so trivial it didn’t warrant a face-to-face interaction. You don’t bother to consider their feelings about the whole scenario. For you, losing jewellery is nothing, and you assume the owner feels the same way, even when that’s not the case.. Therefore, the news should be taken lightly and you wipe your hands clean of what has transpired.
Well-informed but detached
With social media, it’s easy to be informed of a certain situation or issue but not necessary emotionally involved in it. We click on the like or dislike button on a post like that’s the be-all and end-all of it, and move on to the next one. While we get to learn new things everyday by logging online, we don’t allow ourselves time to totally immerse ourselves on that new information, be it a civil war in another country or a labour dispute in a nearby province. We pride ourselves in knowing what’s happening around the world, but we can’t bring ourselves to be emotional about it.
Diminished social connection
Studies have shown that kids who would rather interact via their screens loses valuable social skills in return. Marc Brackett, director of Yale University’s Center for Emotional Intelligence, says the more time kids spend onscreen, the less chances they have to understand emotions and create strong bonds with people around them, and it applies to adults as well. In addition, there’s also too much dependence on the use of emojis or emoticons, but they are no substitute for voice inflection, body language, and facial expression, which one has access to during face-to-face interactions.
Social media augments relationships
Just the same, there are individuals who believe that social media is not at all bad. Last year, a group of researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia have found that social media use has no significant negative effect on social interactions or social well-being. Michael Kearney, assistant professor at the MU School of Journalism, believes that ultimately, it’s up to individuals to decide how to maintain their relationships, and whether that’s through social media or other means does not matter. What matters is that people make an effort to keep in touch.
Social media is “not intrinsically bad”
Kids spending time on screens is “not intrinsically bad for children’s health” according to leading pediatricians in the United Kingdom. However, it must be said that parents must ensure their children get enough sleep, exercise, and family interaction. For teens, it’s up to them to instill self-discipline to limit their time online and make sure they get sufficient sleep time and exercise and spend quality time with family.
It’s wrong to automatically assume face-to-face interaction is better than online interaction as both has its own advantages and disadvantages. However, the better thing to do is find ways to make work alongside the other.
SOURCES
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/jan/15/impact-social-media-children-mental-health
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180301103658.htm
https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865609628/How-technology-is-changing-the-way-we-communicate.html
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