What is Communication?

Communication is the transmission of information from one source to another. Though there are multiple media outlets that channel information from one party to the next, the core process of communication is the same in every distinct medium: the act of transmission is initiated by the sender to a recipient who may then become another sender and restart the process. The most basic form of communication is an individual speaking directly to another individual, but through the advance of technology, one can concurrently communicate diverse information with multiple individuals. The telephone, television, websites, instant messaging, email, radio, newspapers, etc. all serve as channels through which communication is circulated in our society. Communication between authority, like the government, and the masses is essential for the successful functioning of society.

In his essay “An Essay on Mass Communication,” Hanno Hardt states, “Mass communication…has been associated with the production and dissemination of social knowledge…knowledge that pertains to what people accept as real…[it] helps introduce, popularize, and reinforce specific versions of social reality that...[set] the social or cultural agenda under the influence of…economic and political order” (Myths for the Masses 27). Thus, while communication is a beneficial tool that creates “common knowledge” among all of society (i.e.: an awareness of what is going on in the world), it also has the potential to corrupt society if and when it is manipulated by authority to fulfill political or economic agendas. The way I interpreted Hardt’s statement is that we rely on communication to define and shape social reality – we let the media determine what are cultural norms, what defines “good” and “bad” in all aspects of society, etc., which is not always a good thing. While we believe we’re free to form our own opinions on the information we receive through mass communication, Hardt hints that we might not be presented with objective truth, but rather information skewed to serve an ulterior motive (i.e.: to increase consumerism or to spark political controversy or even to preserve a country’s integrity when it has made poor decisions that affect the welfare of its people).

Thus, society at large is built upon communication in its varying forms. And though there are multitudinous ways to communicate, the essential process has remained uniform throughout history. Yet, as Hardt warns, mass communication can subtly influence the way we think and the way we live. Receiving information doesn’t always mean we’re “informed.”