Saturday, September 18, 2010

What Is Communication?

During my research on communication, the definition I found that fit our purposes best was from Merriam Webster. The first two definitions listed were:

1. An act or instance of transmitting
2. Information communicated
b. A verbal or written message

But I thought these weren't clear enough. Luckily, the third definition gave a little more insight into what communication really is.

3. A process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior.

Throughout my own life, the means I have used to communicate have rapidly evolved. When I was younger I used my house phone, wrote letters, or just spoke to someone face to face. When the internet became more of a household commodity, AIM or email became my major form of communication. Now, I communicate almost exclusively through my cell phone or on Facebook. I know my friends and I rely too much on technology to communicate, and it often serves as an excuse to not communicate directly. For instance, I find that people find it easier to send a nasty Facebook message or a text instead of talking in person and solving problems in an up front kind of way. I also think things like Facebook or Twitter make it so easy to find out what people are doing. If I read what someone has done all day on Facebook, when I see them in person it kind of makes it pretty redundant to ask them what they've done all day. While technology has certainly made it easier to communicate with others, it's also made it more difficult at the same time.

-Cortney Zamm

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