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Our
changing world - for better or worse? - Part 3 - Communication
A key factor which has
changed the entire dynamics of our globe is the way in which we can
communicate. The ability to communicate a message either on a one to one
basis or on a mass broadcast approach has had major impacts on the history
of the world. Some of this has been used for causes that were somewhat
questionable. Hitler developed a whole approach to communicating with the
masses in order to achieve his vision. Initially it was very effective –
and indeed highlighted the power that thought out and planned campaigns can
have. On the other side of the talisman, Ghandi was also able to communicate
his message and his philosophy across an entire country – resulting in
changes to a nation that would never had been expected in such a short
time.
Both of these events took
place during a time when communication and information very much recognised
the boundaries which existed between different nations. Would these events
occurred if the mechanism for international communication existed at those
times? The communication
processes available today enable the spread of a story from an outback town
in Australia to be all over the world within hours. What does this mean to
us as a community and how does it relate to our quality of life?
To begin with I believe it
is the beginning of what has been coined in that past as the Global Village.
In previous time distance was an effective barrier to keep us isolated from
events, catastrophes, movements and major people activity all over the
globe. Now even though we are not there in person we can see it, hear it,
read all about it and experience a close perspective, albeit most of the
time it is a very distorted view of reality. This if nothing else makes us
aware of what is happening around the world. The effect appears to be that
we look closely at our own lives. We ask questions about the way we live,
work, are governed and interact as people. This perspective of the world is
unprecedented and is a major force in the way in which the world events are
unfolding. Our children see the world as a much smaller place than we did
when we were children.
My children have travelled
overseas on a number of occasions,
understand the concept of different languages and indeed accents, fly as if
it was car travel, and communicate regularly with family and friends all
over the planet. My eldest daughter is 6.
Clearly her view of the world is very different to how I sort is as a
six year old. So will it follow that her view of the world at 30 will be
very different to the way in which we saw it?
These views are not necessarily a statement of the way things are,
but simply the view of the world through our own eyes and perception. This
view is one, which is strongly affected by our communications, information
and our experiences. Five people can be standing on a deck and looking
across a spectacular view to the horizon. Everyone sees the same things, but
you can be sure that each person will perceive the view in a different way.
This is what makes us as people what we are and why generalisations can be
very dangerous if not inaccurate.
Communication is the very
essence of what being alive is all about. Whether we choose to communicate
by words, pictures, sound, movement, colour it provides a purpose to our
existence. As the number of ways in which we can now communicate has
increased so has the communications, which take place around us everyday.
The risk is that we now have so much trying to get our attention, all the
time that we switch off. The key is too decide what is important to us and
ensures that we endeavour to improve the communications on issues which fall
into this box. As with all things our ability to absorb and acknowledge has
a limit – some more than others. Being conscious of this fact and
dedicating both our time and resources to those communications, which we
have decided are important to us, will enable us to move closer to the
quality of life that we desire.
By Robyn Antonelli,
quolkids.com
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