subject: How The Way We Communicate Is Changing [print this page] In the past decades, the way people communicate with one another has been constantly changing and evolving. The technology that has emerged as the most popular has been portable; devices that allow people to stay connected while on the go are highly valued. Cell phones have replaced land line phones and laptop computers have replaced older, desktop models. In recent years smart phones, with their Internet capabilities, have become a preferred mode of communication. As the technology that people use to communicate changes, so does the way that people communicate with one another.
One aspect of communication that has changed is the length in exchanges between people. Long ago, letters sent through the postal system would be long, and people would usually only send one letter every few weeks before receiving one back. Even when the Internet became accessible and people began emailing, messages would often be somewhat long. When email first began, instant messaging and text messaging services did not exist. Email was revolutionary in that it was sent instantly, but it still wasn't typically used for the rapid, short exchanges that are now common. In today's world, text messages are often used in lieu of conversation, meaning people communicate in short comments and questions sent back and forth. The format of the social networking service, Twitter, epitomizes today's preferred, short-in-length style. Twitter updates and comments can be no longer than 120 characters which illustrates the way communication has become shorter. People are able to say less at one time, because they can communicate more rapidly.
Long distance communication has become tremendously easier in the past few decades. The world has never been more connected by technology than it is currently. Through video conferencing services, it is easy to not only talk with a boss, employee, or loved one in a phone conversation, but it is also possible to see one another through the computer screen. Video conferencing has revolutionized the business world, allowing business deals to be done over web cameras and computers instead of business leaders flying thousands of miles to negotiate.
The favouring of portable devices as means of communication has been one of the most influential shifts in the way people communicate. With portable devices, people are always connected to one another. When email first emerged and laptops were not widely in use, it would have been hard for people to imagine sending emails outside of their home or office. Now, every day emails are sent from mountain tops, airplanes, cruise ships, and from everywhere in between. It is even possible to use Skype, or other video conferencing services, on cell phones. This allows people people on opposite ends of the world to see and speak to one another from any place, at any time.
It is likely that communication methods will continue to change rapidly in the coming years. If the current trends are reflective of future trends, then technology will enable communication to become more frequent and more accessible through portable devices. Technology has allowed communication that makes the world feel smaller, and increased the ability people have to stay connected constantly.
