Social Aptitude in the Face of Growing Technology

Have you noticed how easy it is to communicate with someone in modern society? It’s so easy to get a hold of someone in a culture where it is a daunting task to find an individual who does not have their phone with them throughout the entirety of a typical day. Obviously, technology has rapidly changed the way people communicate in so many ways. Online communication used to be reserved for brief emails sent to coworkers and bosses, bosses to their superiors, and so on. Today, however, emails, online conferences, and all sorts of other means of online communication have not only become more widely accepted, but often preferred to other methods. Access to these online communication methods, such as Skype, Snapchat, iMessage, and Facetime is becoming easier and easier to come by. Simultaneously, the devices required to use these communication apps and services, specifically computers, tablets, and cell phones are also seeing a decrease in difficulty of acquisition. Even with the increased usage, online interaction is still considered by some to be “the new kid on the block” in the communication world.

Using technology-based mediums of communication opens up some important benefits. Advantages of online interaction include access to individuals in distant locations, asynchronous dialogue, providing for a more thoughtful and articulate conversation, and flexibility of being able to access and review a conversation anywhere and anytime. Of course, just like with any major change to society, there will always be those who are skeptic of the new technology or ideas, and therefore ultimately end up arguing against the change. However, that’s not to say online communication is without shortcomings; though many of those are perceived, rather than real.

The first line of argumentation of non-supporters the fact that text-based online discussion necessarily excludes some people. Online communication methods predominantly rely on inputting text which can be challenging for those who don’t like to write, can’t spell very well, possess little to no keyboarding skills, or live with a disability that prevents them from reading text or using a keyboard. These are all valid concerns posed by those unsupportive of online communication, but there are always going to be people excluded in any form of communicating. In any physical group setting, for example, it isn’t uncommon to have the opinion of someone who is shy or quiet go unheard or unexpressed. However, in an online setting, reserved people who usually don’t speak up can say as much as they like while loud people are just another voice and can’t interrupt. In part one of Todd Davies and Seeta Peña Gangadharan’s book, Online Deliberation: Design, Research and Practice, Vincent Price writes “Studies demonstrate that online discussions are generally much more egalitarian than face-to-face encounters, with reduced patterns of individual dominance and increased contributions by low-status participants” (Price). That’s why technology developers have come up with solutions for those who have trouble interacting online. With the evolution of broadband connectivity, which is the technology that audio-based communication formats such as Skype relies on, as well as voice and video conference technology, such as FaceTime and voice-to-text messaging on iMessage, this will gradually become less of an issue.

Another important point brought up by those who don’t support the use of technology-based mediums of communication is that online interaction lacks physicality. Susan Tardanico, CEO of a leadership and communication consultancy, says that her studies reveal that only seven percent of communication is based off of verbal and written word, while ninety-three percent is based off of nonverbal body language. Without facial expressions and gestures or the ability to retract or take back a statement immediately, there’s a big risk of misunderstanding. This can be a problem. There is not much room for humour and satire in the forum environment. Without a smile or small laugh to go with it, a message that says “you’re so stupid” can be taken literally even though the speaker may have sent it as a joke.

This problem is not so relevant when referring to texting among friends because there is usually a previous understanding of each other’s style or identity when speaking. However, in online discussion forums or Youtube’s comment section, misunderstandings among users are almost a guarantee. The best solution to this limitation is to leave irony and humor at the door when entering a forum. When the visitors are not familiar with each other and have different views about a subject, they are better used as spaces for more serious discussion and dialogue. On the other hand, the asynchronous nature of online forums provides participants the opportunity to be very careful in their phrasing to reduce this problem as far as reasonably