Communication (Or the lack of it)

George Bernard Shaw, the Irish Playwright rightly quoted once: “The Single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place”. He was very much right. Add to the fact that he lived from 1856 to 1950. Thats 94 years. A time when only a select few could afford to talk on the telephone and the rest had to make do with letters, and sometimes carrier pigeons (which it turns out, was not a good idea). He was right in what he said. It holds true even today in 2010, when the whole world is wired and so many channels of communication are available. Phones, Text messages, internet, shouting, screaming, tweeting, etc. Little did we know that what Mr. Shaw said a long time back, holds true even today.

The single biggest problem is the illusion in our heads that we have effectively communicated a message to another person, but in reality, its the other way round. You have only confused the person and made him either angry, scared, confused, misunderstood, the person. And that is not good.

There are some rules of communication that I follow. To me they are quite sensible and much needed.

1. Always read a text properly and reply to the questions asked (if any) and then state your questions (if any). Sadly people dont follow this rule and a few more Text Messages are sent asking the same thing because the person reading it has been absent minded or has the attention span of a 2 year old.
2. Everyone. And I mean Everyone has a friend/colleague/relative/classmate who loves giving missed calls. His/Her life depends on it. They take you for granted that  you will call back. They will never call. In rare times they call. they speak for a minute or so. Will never talk for more than that. What do you do? You have to call them back. Its something you have to do. Simply because you are not like them.
3. While chatting, you have to wait for the other person to finish and then give a reply. Its common sense. And your reply should be in tune to what they have asked or written and after that only you put forward your chat. But sometimes you have to keep writing what you wrote two lines back, simply because they are blind to read what you wrote two lines back. Its irritating. but you put up with it. You’d rather lose insanity than a friend right?
4. People walk away from a face to face conversaation because they are mad, angry or whatever. Its not needed. Its a sign that you are insecure and won’t talk about it because you (the person who walked away) are wrong. Its simple as that. Sit. Talk. Argue. Fight. BUT don’t get up. Its the only way to communicate. Never get up. Its a sign of weakness and the very fact that you got up shows you gave up!

We are so wired and so many modes are available. Yet sometimes some people fall short on how to communicate. The golden rule to remember is that the way we communicate to our near and dear ones, is the way we will communicate to others.

Many people will disagree/agree to what I have said. But its my way of communicating and its effective.