I’m considering writing my paradigm shift paper on the shift from personal communication to instantaneous communication via technology. In my grandparents’ generation, communication was primarily face to face. They wrote letters to each other and held brief telephone conversations. These methods of communication made it simpler to understand whomever you were communicating with because you could see or hear their reactions. There was something almost romantic about letters and phone calls during this time because they were not nearly as frequent or ubiquitous as our methods of communication today.
Nowadays, methods of communication are always at our fingertips. My phone alone connects me to everyone on my contact list, plus the Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram worlds. Sometimes, I love having such quick access to my family and friends. I can tell them a funny story immediately after it happens or send a picture from a fun activity I did that day. However, although there is more communication, there is also more miscommunication. Texts are constantly misread, and “subtweets” (tweets directed at but not explicitly mentioning a particular person) cause emotions to run high. This is what we are accustomed to, though. I, like most college students, would feel lost without my phone in my hand or in my pocket. It’s like a security blanket.