The nature of communications has changed drastically over the years. Centuries ago, we relied on crude drawings and smoke signals to communicate. As time passed, and human beings evolved, we created languages and new modes of connecting with others through letters, speech, and eventually, the use of telephones and fax machines.
Today, the nature and process of communication are growing increasingly digital, thanks to the evolution of technology intended to bring us closer together.
The Nature of Communication Explanation
A quick summary of communication and its evolution over the years shows how human beings have always been devoted to finding faster, more efficient ways to share information. As we’ve gained more control over our environments, and the materials found within them, we’ve cultivated new tools to change the nature of communication along the way.
The rise of the industrial age introduced us to the typewriters and newspapers for sharing information to huge groups of people at speed. Televisions allowed for public announcements and broadcasts, and eventually, in 1985, we saw the rise of the personal computer.
Since the PC was first introduced, the nature of communications has grown increasingly digitized. While there are still “offline” modes of communication available, like phone calls, texts, and face-to-face interactions, we all rely far more on the internet to bridge borders and communication gaps.
The internet has made the world smaller, allowing the way communication is in nature to evolve at an exceptional rate. Today, we can chat with people from halfway across the planet in an instant, and even replicate face-to-face discussions through video.
How Technology Changes the Process of Communication
When asked to explain the process of communication in the modern world, it’s easy to concentrate on how the digital world has reduced our need to communicate face-to-face, creating an environment where isolation is more common than ever. However, technology has also enhanced the process of communication in a range of ways, making our lives easier, and bridging the gaps between communities all over the world.
The nature of communication in the digital revolution means we can:
- Bridge communication gaps intelligently: In the past, the lack of global reach and disparate languages around the world made it difficult for certain communities to communicate. Now, we have intelligent apps that can transcribe and translate human language in real-time through AI, while creating global connections through internet connectivity and VoIP. A result is a global approach to communication where everyone can stay connected.
- Access more choices: We can also access a wider range of choices for how we communicate. The use of different media, from text and video to audio can help to add context to a conversation and promote efficient conversations in the right situations. Technology allows us to choose the most effective mode of communication for any use case, and switch seamlessly between them, boosting productivity.
- Have more intelligent conversations: By bringing technology into the communication landscape, we can also make our conversations more intelligent and meaningful. We don’t have to go away to research a piece of information before we can continue a conversation with confidence. We can find answers to questions instantly. This makes salespeople and service providers more efficient and makes meetings more productive.
- Enjoy more consistent communication: While we might not be able to connect with someone in a face-to-face environment at all times, we can build an environment where the conversation never has to stop. The nature of communication in a digital environment makes it possible to create asynchronous, always-on conversations through cat, social media, and a host of other valuable tools.
- Collaborate more effectively: The nature of communications today also means we can bring more value to the things we say, with additional context and resources. Meetings in a digital world can come equipped with access to files, graphics, and even demonstrations of how certain software and tools work. This means we can collaborate more effectively, and share information like never before.
The Changing Nature of Communication
While we might have seen some significant changes in the nature of communication recently, like the rise of video conferencing, or increasing access to AI in conversations, the transformation of this landscape isn’t entirely new. Ever since we first discovered the presence of other human beings and creatures capable of intelligent thought, we’ve been working on our communication strategies.
Look back through the history of the human race and you’ll discover every major evolution in our species has been accompanied by important changes in the nature of communication. This is because people are always more productive, innovative, and successful when they can share their ideas and thoughts with others.
While some of the earliest forms of communication still exist today, like face-to-face interactions, we should always be open and ready for changes to the nature of communications as we know it. Often, these evolutions are beneficial for our societies, and brimming with potential to help us grow.
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