What is communication?

According to oxford languages, it is “the imparting or exchanging of information or news.”

Why is it important?

Communication is essential because we use it daily in almost every job and social experience. More importantly, I want to focus my Ted Talk and Evolving Ideas’/Paradigm Shift project on the story of communication and how it has evolved.

This topic fascinates me because I find it interesting that humans have always wanted to communicate and connect, no matter the era. Psychology has always intrigued me, and studying human behavior plays a huge role in any form of communication. Along with the point that humans aren’t meant to be alone, communication is vital in many things we do in our lives. Often, when communication is off or misrepresented, it causes problems in our lives and workplaces.

I specifically want to focus on the evolution of communication in the business world. My starting point will begin with smoke signals and drum communication. These forms of communication are a great starting point for me because these two forms are one of the earliest forms of communication for business and long-distance communication. I will end my project with current-day forms of business communication through technology. I hope to learn how these old and new forms have sculpted the business world, how much it has changed over time, and the efficiency this technology had for the business.

For my project, I found a book that will serve a great purpose in helping with part of my story. I chose the book, The Evolution of Communication by Marc D. Hauser. This book is about looking at species in their natural environments to begin understanding what the “real units of analysis of communicating systems are, using arguments about design and function to illuminate both the origin and subsequent evolution of each system.” I hope to utilize this book to learn about the actual units of communication and compare and contrast the difference between humans and animals. As well as see how I can apply and put into context this information for the business world.

Communication is a significant aspect of our lives and has maintained that throughout centuries, making its relevance never-ending. I want all to gain a better understanding as I hope to accomplish this through my project. I feel that gaining a more robust version of communication can help us both in business and life and potentially open doors and prevent misunderstandings. There is an endless amount to learn about human behavior in different situations; no matter what, people will always communicate and yearn to connect.