Modern Communication – Edit and Delete
February 27th, 2010 | 
Author: I’ve come across many articles recently bemoaning the fact that we so seldom use a desk telephone anymore because our communication consists largely of e-mailing, texting, social media and social networking. I was an early adopter of the mobile phone and loved telling people to “call me on my mobile” and felt so important when I got a call on that mobile. Like many other early adopters, I embraced texting or sms’ing. I reached a point though a few years ago where I hated my mobile. My boss always complained that I had the highest bill in the company and that it surely wasn’t possible to send so many messages. I countered that I was busy working and had no choice but to use my mobile as I travelled a lot for business and that he only had to look at the costs associated with my desk phone to see that I hardly used it so surely the lack of cost on the one offset the cost of the other. Even then though, I recognized that my mobile had taken over both my work and personal life.
I worked in an environment where communication had to be backed up in writing, so instead of sending letters, I’d send an e-mail – it was easier than getting a letter typed and posted, especially with the volume of letters I’d have to generate. I perfected the art of talking on my mobile and typing the confirmation e-mail. This not only amazed my colleagues but frustrated my boss because our company had a “Letters file” which was circulated weekly so that everyone knew what was happening and that a particular task had been completed – communication combined with due diligence.
Social media scared me a little (and still does). I so resented the way my mobile had become my constant companion and was tired of its invasive abuse, that social media just didn’t appeal. I still haven’t adopted social media on a large scale. I saw a news clip the other day about a site that tracks everyone’s “social mutter” (as I call it) and posts online when you are out, thus providing information to people that your home is vacant and can be robbed! That site would have to track when my Dachshund was out though – he’s got to be the most vocal guard dog I have come across.
I get the whole “mobile” thing – I use travel time to check e-mails and research for blogs. I love the opportunity and when I’m really busy, the effective use of travel time like that is a bonus.
Back to the telephone… I now try and use my desk telephone as often as I can to talk to people. I still have to back the conversation up in writing though; it’s so much easier cradling a desk phone and typing than cradling a mobile and typing. I found making calls a little awkward at first because I was so used to being able to type, think, edit and delete, that being “live” on a call without an opportunity to delete or edit felt a little odd.
I still love e-mail – I find it an easy way to express emotions and more in a way that is acceptable to both me and the recipient (because of the edit and delete functionality). I recently came across an article “You’ve got e-mail” in the March 2010 edition of the Sainsbury’s magazine about two women (Bee Rowlatt and May Witwit) forging a friendship (via e-mail) under difficult circumstances while living in different countries. One of the e-mails featured in the article talks about sharing so much in e-mails – “revealing things that would have taken years to expose in a “normal” friendship” – the same e-mail goes on to say that “yet since we’ve met I’ve also learnt that you’re hard-working, loyal and tough as nails.” And in that sentence, for me, lies the real truth about modern communication. It’s all about balance.
The two friends recently published a book which I have not yet read, but I have ordered it, I think it’ll make good reading.
A few facts: Alexander Graham Bell, a Scottish-born inventor, scientist, philanthropist and teacher of the deaf is the person most widely credited as the inventor of the electric telephone. No one person invented the Internet as we know it today. However, certain major figures contributed major breakthroughs. Dr. Martin Cooper invented the mobile phone and made the world’s first mobile phone call on 3 April 1973.
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