IS IT COMMUNICATION??

I'm sitting here writing this because it  has become so frustrating. At first I thought this issue was reserved for the younger generation but now I realize it has become infectous and is permeating all age and social levels.

Recently I had a mature, educated, and otherwise competent individual state to me," I communicated the solution to that problem, it was posted on the organizations webpage and discussed on facebook".  Sadly, this person actually believed they had COMMUNICATED.

As we rely more and more on text messages, twitter, facebook, and email, we are becoming less and less able to distinguish between communication and, for lack of a better term, announcements. We assume that everyone else recieves the information because WE posted it somewhere. We have forgotten that words that aren't spoken directly, where misinterpretations can be percieved, and remedied, often become the crux of major issues and wasted efforts. Not to mention the emotional and social damage that can be done between the parties.

I remember teaching a class where the students had to make a presentation and emphasizing to them the importancce of eye contact and holding a conversation with one of the audience so the meaning is clear and the response will allow modification of a given point to establish clarity. The same holds true for all true COMMUNICATION. When i taught high school seniors I used to take my cell phone and ask one of the girls which she'd prefer from her boyfriend. I'd then tap the keyboard while spelling "I love you" as though I was texting. Then I'd pick up the phone, put it to my face and softly speak the words 'I love you". Then I'd look her straight in the eye and say, "I love you". By then the whole class was usually laughing but when I asked again which they'd prefer it was never the text.

After teaching at a high school for ten years one of the principals said,"Alan I don't believe I've ever had an e-mail message from you". To which I replied," Why would I take a chance on a misunderstanding when I can walk down the hallway and address you face to face". 

To the point: We, Parents and Teachers alike must make a concerted effort to insist our children, co-workers, and others begin conversing and recognize the danger of informing instead of communicating.

THERE GRUMPY GOT THAT OFF HIS CHEST.