Is Digital Communication Raising a Disconnected Generation?
We’ve always been taught that when conversing one-on-one, most communication is non-verbal. The tone of your voice, the position of your eyebrows, your nervous fidget, your eye contact. All of these have been key to effective message delivery. With the advent of digital connectivity, text messaging, Facebook and Twitter and the like, much of the interpersonal communication skill seems to have been kicked to the virtual curb. For instance, have you ever misjudged the tone of an email? Or misinterpreted a text message?
You’re not alone.
For today’s digital connector, communicating takes on new meaning. This is the dawn of no-frills, honest and raw messaging. It’s also, by design, much less risky. With face-to-face being replaced by screen-to-screen, users are able to log-off without regret. Instead of dealing with problems head on, this generation can leave at the click of a button. This type of power without accountability begs the question: is digital connectivity actually healthy for communication? Are we raising a generation afraid to look their neighbor in the eye and quick to pull the trigger when a conversation ventures into uncomfortable territory?
