I grew up in a “no phones at the table” household, but did this really impact how we communicate? I mean, yes, putting the phone down and engaging in conversation will always be impactful, but after spending all day online preaching your opinion, does setting the phone down for thirty minutes at dinner revolutionize conversation?
People can consume saturated media from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm and are still expected to be able to converse meaningfully. Although I find this nearly impossible, it isn't the whole reason a communication barrier has formed. My concern is that people spend so much time on the internet reading and preaching one-sided content that they have forgotten how to listen to others. This has hampered the ability to communicate and learn from each other. You tend to speak over everyone at the table rather than listen to what they have to say. It's a disease.
The benefit of posting online is that you can comment whenever you feel like it and read and follow whatever you like. As a result, we consume one-sided online content all day and don't listen to other people's opinions. Furthermore, you are not required to engage with anyone you do not wish to. Therefore, social media has made individuals believe that what they share and say matters most. As a result, these habits begin to be reflected in how we speak to each other in person.
Social media behavior has polarized society to the point where differences of opinion are met with a “cancel culture.” Using algorithms on social media, users are shown content based on their existing beliefs, resulting in isolated groups that used to be considered like-minded but are now viewed as extremists. Questioning these ideals leads to an “us vs. them” confrontation, thus preventing communication. Society is already criticized for being incapable of communicating from behind a screen, but we allow polarization to prove the point.
Communication skills can be quantified because of parenting and upbringing. However, if there was any hope, most of us waited to be asked, “How was your day?” at the dinner table to contribute to the conversation, and the rest of our dinner was spent listening. Parents unconsciously instilled the ability to listen in their children. While imperfect, this dynamic taught the importance of asking questions and listening, which social media has taken away from society. Therefore, it has become nearly impossible to ask questions calmly and confidently to someone of an opposing view without fear of confrontation.
A question of an objective should not be perceived as an attack but as an opportunity to share your 'why' behind certain beliefs. It is easy to spend all day online sharing opinions about an ideal you hold and be able to ignore someone in the comments asking, “Why?”. However, in person, you cannot hide behind the “why,” turning discussions into arguments and discouraging genuine listening and understanding. However, it is confusing to understand when people start seeing questioning as a form of attack when the whole idea of social media is to share your voice.
Furthermore, the word limits on social media apps can make it difficult to express complex ideas and lead to misunderstandings. To gain traction, our generation's attention must be captured in just a few seconds, but complex ideals that require layers of knowledge and understanding can't be summed up in 150 characters.
Social media can also lead to selective memory due to its focus on specific events or trends and neglect of other topics and conversations. Our habits prevent us from drawing conclusions from history and opposing views. Society must understand that maybe X or Instagram isn't the best place to discuss complex historical or political issues. The limitations of these platforms only create an aura of miscommunication, polarization, and fear of objection.
Digital media and a lack of listening skills may affect language barriers, but this is not an insurmountable problem. We must remember that it is our responsibility as humans to be mindful of users, seek out different perspectives, foster impactful, respectful conversations, and put the phone down and talk. As we become aware of these habits and work to navigate language and communication challenges, we may change our perception of how we communicate with one another.