Then & Now

Dear Ann Eliza;

To be perfectly honest, we have an overabundance of methods available to aid us in communicating. I trust that Jocelyn has you well-informed about telephones, computers, email, and texting; these are some very standard, basic methods that we employ on not just a daily basis, but more likely every few minutes or so, certainly more than once per hour, to keep in touch with our nearest and dearest. While these methods are the basis of our communication model, we have come to rely on and utilize many other avenues as well. There are too many to list so I’d rather focus on some of the most mainstream, user-friendly, and familiar-to-the-masses aspects of social media and the ways in which we use them to stay in touch with not just our friends and family, but people all over the world.

Twitter is a vast, never-ending stream of short tidbits of information, called “tweets”, from average citizens, corporations, non-profits, celebrities, sports teams, news media, magazines, and the list goes on. Anyone can have a twitter account and every user has their own unique purpose and intent when using this outlet. Users are limited to the use of 140 characters, thus allowing for small quips and observations only; the site is referred to as a micro-blogging site because of its strict limitations in post lengths. Twitter is a great place for celebrities to keep in touch with their fans and news media to keep the public informed in real-time.

Twitter account holders send out their tweets which are then seen by their followers – people who have signed up to see updates from the tweeter in question. Users are able to respond back-and-forth and re-tweet (share) others postings as well. Twitter is great when you have something funny or ironic to share; when you have a simple observation about which you’d like some feedback; when you’re promoting a product/service/performance/idea/charity etc.; or when you want to connect with other like-minded individuals whom you do not necessarily know but who share a common thread.

Twitter is a great worldwide, virtual gathering place which has the power to spread knowledge, ideas, pictures, and videos but it is also a very impersonal mode of communication. Because users are most likely strangers to their followers, it’s not the sort of forum in which one might carry on an intimate conversation nor is one able to go into great depth on any single topic due to the constraints in tweet length. In my personal opinion, Twitter is best left to celebrities, corporations, athletes/sports teams, news media and other well-known entities; it’s a great way for these larger-than-life and seemingly inaccessible groups to be better connected with their fans, followers, and consumers.

Facebook is probably the most widely used social media forum and is very different from Twitter in the ways which you connect with others. While Twitter allows users to connect with anyone and everyone and offers its’ users little control over who they’re reaching, Facebook employs a much more defined method of privacy and control. Facebook users have their own profile and along with it the ability to restrict the public nature of the information contained within their profile and various privacy settings for their photographs, posts, links, personal information and more.  I’m able to customize my list of friends on Facebook so that only those whom I trust have access to my profile; this allows me to freely post pictures of my children, share my personal triumphs and tragedies and gather the support I need at a few moments notice from my closest friends and family.

Facebook helps me to keep in touch with my cousins who live in New York and Washington while I’m here in Minnesota; my mom is able to see pictures of my children on a regular basis so she feels less like she’s missing out; I can share funny things that I find online with my sisters and pass along articles that I think will strike a chord with my friends. I love that I still know what my high school and college classmates are doing in life and it’s a wonderful feeling to reach out when you need a little encouragement and have the words of many come so quickly to your aid.

For all intents and purposes I would say that modern technology and our communication patterns can’t assure you a life less lonely but they can certainly keep you more entertained than your current duties. There is a certain benefit to the instant gratification aspect of today’s communications but there is no guarantee that a more timely response will be filled with more intimate disclosure nor will it necessarily be the key to your happiness. But I can say with certainty that while not all of our communication is of substance or high quality, the options that we have for such frequent and immediate contact allow us to know one another on a deeper level and develop relationships that can reach a higher plane at a faster pace.

There’s a good chance that you’d feel less isolated in today’s society; in fact, I’d take bets that you’d find yourself often irritated with the constant onslaught of communication. It can feel like a heavy burden to be readily available to so many people at a moment’s notice. I definitely have periods in which I would give anything to be able to shut off my tech devices, leave my car on the side of the road and disappear into the shoreline of Lake Superior for weeks on end. On the other hand, I feel very fortunate to be able to order Chinese take-out for dinner while I’m driving to pick my kids up from daycare and have it waiting at the door when we arrive home.

The world I live in is fast-paced, driven, and impatient and can be rather ruthless; our communication methods foster and perpetuate this environment and it’s not something from which one can hide. I think every generation has communication methods which best suit the lifestyle and citizen’s needs; I’ve no doubt that you’d be fascinated by our current state but I feel equally certain that you’d be more than happy to return to the simplicity of life in 1873.

Be well,

Leah of 2012