A writer in Guyana argues that ICT is undermining our communication skills. We offer our two cents on the issue.
A letter to the Editor of the Stabroek News, in Guyana, published last week opened with the sentence, “The world is no longer flat”. From that ominous start, the writer argued that although there has been considerable technological advances and developments, particularly in the ICT space, a key repercussion to date has been “the dumbing down and degradation of communications”.
The writer’s position is an interesting and loquacious read. Although some of us might roll our eyes when reading that missive, due to how the sentences are composed, and even some of the words that are used; others will feel that it is a tedious read, which they will abandon midway, possibly in favour of something more exciting on social media.
However, as I read the piece, I realised that the writer’s views were consistent with some of my own concerns about the impact of technology in our lives. Although without a doubt, ICTs have made our lives more convenient, made us even more connected, and has opened (and is still opening) up a broad range of new and exciting opportunities, this may all be happening at a price. One of the things I fear we might be losing is our ability to think deeply on issues, key points of which will be outlined below.
Abbreviated sentences, abbreviated thoughts
Expressing oneself in 140 characters or less is a skill, and for social networks that do not have that constraint, brevity (of words) generally, is still preferred. As a result, users can easily skim through their news feeds and quickly get a sense of what is available: what should be perused further; what can be discarded.
However, it also means that we, the content creators, get very few opportunities to practise long-form writing, where multiple or complex thoughts are expressed – in full sentences! Furthermore, there tends to be less need for us to cogitate on an issue: to think it through and analyse it. Instead, what has become increasingly important is the bottom line, which cannot accommodate the nuances, or the multiple threads, that ought to be considered to bring one to a cogent and well-considered position.
Loss of reading stamina
Following from the previous point, and thanks to all of this abbreviated text, we also appear to be losing our stamina to read long-form writing. Even if we might not admit it to ourselves, increasingly among our friends and colleagues, we know people who, since leaving high school, have never read a book. Further, in the workplace it is not surprising for management to ask for lengthy documents to be whittled down to a one (or two) pages, which is what they intend to read.
However, if we are prepared to go through life only reading the ‘CliffNotes’ of an issue, as captured on social media, we are unlikely to have enough information to make informed decisions. Moe importantly, it may be easier for us to get suckered when we do not practise analytical thinking and are reluctant to go beyond the headlines.
Contrived perfection
Finally, it is important to highlight that the online space, especially that for social media, is an artificial space that increasingly, is being shaped by business and advertising. Much of what is being published has been staged, or otherwise edited, for maximum appeal and impact. Hence it may not be as honest, or as true a reflection of a situation as we might (be led to) believe.
Further, this ‘contrived perfection’ is not being done only by big businesses. As more individuals look to generate an income online, especially by leveraging social media, they are also creating facades to increase their appeal, which hopefully the more astute among us will recognise.
Image credit: Pixabay (Pexels)
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