Mankind have a natural affinity to communicate with each other. It is interesting to note that communication is not only about the transferring of information but also to communicate deep emotion and thought. In communicating verbally we also have non verbal communication taking place. I have heard it said before that our eyes are like the windows to our soul. There is so much that is imparted from ones non verbal communication, as much and sometimes even more through our non verbal form of communication than our verbal communication. I am of the belief that as revolutionary as our society as become, we are becoming less communal and more Isolated. Professor Watkins in his reading from Dresher was highlighting how isolated the physical church building can be and how much more liberating is the virtual, I am paraphrasing. I wonder?
My thought is how can that be when we are sharing our thoughts in a virtual space. This space although shared is predominantly verbal and is used as a mask, pseudo world. Our identity is masked behind a space that is undefinable. I have listened to some of the videos and I have heard comments like "I can say on social media what I am not normally able to say." Comments like these are disturbing to me. Are we raising up a generation that is less personable? how is this not a form of isolation rather than liberation? Elizabeth Drescher wrote in her section; Seeing, Hearing and sharing the book in the community wrote, "Actually, long after the invention of the printing press, until quite late in the nineteenth century, reading was a quintessentially social medium- a communal affair with a group of hearers gathering around a reader to engage, a book, letter, newspaper, or other written work." A community is better able to thrive and are more communal in a space of not only hearing, seeing but one that engages all of our senses, especially the sense of touch. I am not sure if I making any sense? what do you think help me?
For 100 years people have been able to say in writing what they couldn't say face to face for whatever reason. Letters of professed love, a 95 thesis on a church door, legislation in government. I am not so disturbed by the fact that people feel more at ease to say what they feel because they are a step removed from face to face contact. I DO wonder how things like google hangouts, skype and snapchat- which DO offer face to face contact may change how we interact in the digital medium. Do you think having that face-to-face type of interface will take away that step removed? That people might not say what they feel anymore because of it?
ReplyDeleteMaybe a sixth sense could be virtual touch? I will also say that not every culture thrives on a sense of touch. In fact, some people don't like to be touched at all. What do you think about the word hearing? Does hearing have to be physical? Or can it be reading a post from someone and really understand that person? Are the senses we use in this virtual world any less important than the ones of the physical world?
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your comments. They are insightful which was the purpose of the blog. Hannah I would respond to you in regards to your comment that we write books with sole porpuse of disemminate information and it does convay but you examine the porpuse of the examples that you used there are for information intended for public use nothing else and to intiate change of some sort and these men and women are closed to face to face contact. My purpose is not that we should not write or express ourselves in such space as google hangouts and such medium but what is being lost. we are seeing a generation that is only considering communication on that level. The personal contact is becoming distant where young people now cannot communicate in person.
ReplyDeleteSam I consider personal contact far different from virtual contact. I rent movies and watching a movie at home is not the same as being in the movie theatre why because of the enviroment good or bad. I do believe we are seeing a more virtually driven society and I am all for it but not at the expense of people losing touch with reality. Our senses are not as sharp, example playing a video game with killing or rape it belittles death and abuse to women. We believe we can say anything because we are becoming desensitized because we are removed from the person or reality. I know these are some broad strokes and I am generalizing but I hope this get the point I am trying to make.
I appreciate your comments. They are insightful which was the purpose of the blog. Hannah I would respond to you in regards to your comment that we write books with sole porpuse of disemminate information and it does convay but you examine the porpuse of the examples that you used there are for information intended for public use nothing else and to intiate change of some sort and these men and women are closed to face to face contact. My purpose is not that we should not write or express ourselves in such space as google hangouts and such medium but what is being lost. we are seeing a generation that is only considering communication on that level. The personal contact is becoming distant where young people now cannot communicate in person.
ReplyDeleteSam I consider personal contact far different from virtual contact. I rent movies and watching a movie at home is not the same as being in the movie theatre why because of the enviroment good or bad. I do believe we are seeing a more virtually driven society and I am all for it but not at the expense of people losing touch with reality. Our senses are not as sharp, example playing a video game with killing or rape it belittles death and abuse to women. We believe we can say anything because we are becoming desensitized because we are removed from the person or reality. I know these are some broad strokes and I am generalizing but I hope this get the point I am trying to make.