For decades we have been discovering new ways to keep in touch with our family, friends, and co-workers. First we started with learning to speak, then to read and write. When distances grew between us and we decided we wanted to still keep in touch without having to travel, we started mailing letters to friends and family. Of course, we decided that was too slow for communication, then came the telegram and the telephone. Needing to go even faster brought us the internet, cell phones, and the smart phones we use today. You are probably itching to check your phone right now, aren’t you? You are probably going to send a quick text to a friend or significant other but you won’t call them. The problems with these advances are that we are actually communicating less than before and our communication skills have dwindled. Technology is negatively affecting our communication skills with each other.
When you are in a social situation, are you talking amongst your friends and family, or are you checking your facebook and text messages? We are constantly connected to the outside world by our phones, PDA’s, and computers. You would think that this means that we are communicating more, right? The problem is humanities communication skills are a whole have actually gotten worse with technology. Most people would rather send a text message than call someone because it is more convenient. Text messaging is probably the technology that has caused the most damage. Children in school are now using what used to be called “inventive spelling” on papers. This is, spelling words how they sound instead of how they are actually spelled. (Wheeler) Do not think that children are the only ones that are guilty of this offense. If you are in charge of any employees where you work, I am sure you have seen someone shorthand a response to you in an email or on a report they filed with you. The