Brave New World

In a world of text messaging, email, blogs, instant messengers, online communities, and all other kinds of electronic communication, some would say that we're losing our ability to communicate effectively.  I think I would have to disagree with this.  I've read that teenagers are able to convey just as much information and emotion in a text message as they would in a face-to-face conversation.  I think chatting online gives people a chance to know each other's personalities rather than having one's physical appearance affect how they interact.  Online communities like Facebook or MySpace allow people to stay in touch in ways we've never been able to before.  Do you know what your old elementary school friends are doing now?  I found out that a girl I went to school with over 20 years ago just got married and another is married with 2 very cute daughters.  Just 2 years ago I had no idea if these people were even still alive.  Even though we only leave each other brief messages once in a while, we're still in closer contact than we've ever been since 1988.  I remember a time when people kept diaries and journals and kept them locked in a secret hiding place in their room.  I may not do that, but I've been writing in my blog since 2003 and sharing my thoughts, opinions, experiences, highs, lows, and everything in between with anyone bored enough to read it.  Doesn't matter whether or not anyone reads it though, I write it for the same reason people write in private diaries - I just need an outlet to speak my mind and let it all out.  So my point of all this is that with all the technology that's out there, literally at our fingertips with iPhones and Blackberries, I think the opportunity to communicate is greater than ever before.  If you choose not to communicate or choose to communicate ineffectively, that's up to you.  There's nothing forcing you to stay indoors in front of your computer and there's nothing forcing you to ignore the ringing of your phone.  Quit blaming the tools and be accountable for your own choices.