Communication on the Internet
Communication on the Internet
Communication before the discovery of internet is only imparted through auditory means, body languages and manual writing. The technology of internet however gave people many options on how to communicate faster and easier. The most popular use of the Internet is communication. The creation of every technology is originally for his advantage. However, man as rational and creative beings always seek ways to make something more beneficial to them even if it is immoral.
Communication seems to be the foremost target or objective of internet. Human beings can now communicate in a fraction of second with an individual who is sitting in the other part of the world with the help of plenty messenger services. People can now avail the facilities of email, friendster, facebook, myspace, chat and others. Through these social networking sites, it allows anyone to view information about them which includes photos, blogs, favorites, videos etc.
It is an excellent way to keep in touch and maintain relationships with family and friends. It is now becoming easier to widen one’s social network and establish a kind of global friendship where you can share your thoughts and ideas. Moreover, the opportunity of global friendship that the internet creates will give one an opportunity to explore other culture, tradition and social orientation. It widens people understanding about human nature, why and how things happen. Today, groups or communities have sprung up on the internet where people of common interest discuss common issues thus create shared understanding. Many people through blogs and websites share their information about their interests or hobbies. When the information has been read by someone with same too, it is easy to make friends and contact. Generally, internet is becoming a friendly place that offers cheap and easy alternative to traditional methods of communication.
However, internet can be very deceiving too. People can readily post wrong information about themselves to impress and get attention. There are internet users who used messaging system to create an intimate relationship with someone they don’t know and even see in person. They unconsciously seek belongingness on those people they meet through the internet. As a result, they give too much emotional attachment and trust that may result to higher expectations. In the internet, people can easily exaggerate things about themselves though the power of language.
When a particular net communicator ask someone “what is the color of your hair?”, instead of saying “black hair” the receiver may say “jet black hair”. Or when being asked “what is color of your eyes?”, instead of saying “brown eyes”, the receiver may say “deep brown eyes”. The use of impressive and descriptive words has psychological effects on the receiver. He may likely create wrong impressions and expectations that when he finally meets that person, he will easily get discourage. The internet eliminates the physical aspects of relationships which are very significant to establish a connection.
Communicating online is becoming a trend and face to face interaction is not already a commonplace. For those people who are less personal and interactive, they tend to use internet to create social connection. These people are most of the time have low self esteem and has lots of social anxieties. When they can’t be seen or identified, they are more willing and comfortable to open up and share true feelings. However, the receiver who doesn’t hear the tone, who doesn’t see the physical language and doesn’t feel the strength and vulnerability of its emotions, may misinterpret the meaning.
As a result, the receiver is more likely to pass wrong judgment and the person giving the information is more likely to get hurt. Moreover, communication via internet instead of face to face will lessen one’s opportunity to meet new people and to create true personal friendship outside home. It will also lessen one’s chance to enhance his communication skills and to work out his social anxieties. Moreover, some people are getting addicted on internet communication that makes them set aside their physical interactions on friends and family. Communication online unconsciously encourage online courtship and friendship too which is not always effective. To fully invest emotionally with someone, there must be a constant human contact where you share experiences that will make you effectively learn together.
Since you can easily lie on internet communication, the ability to escape identity is more likely to happen. People can easily fulfill their illusions about themselves via the internet. People can easily send wrong information to feel belong which resulted to losing themselves. Moreover, internet communication sometimes discourages conflict resolution. If two communicators are faced with conflicts, they can easily log off or sign off and not to deal with the issue at hand. It is postponing issues that are most of the time unhealthy.
Internet is not only used to create intrapersonal relationships where you disclose something personal about yourself. Internet also becomes an effective tool in business communication. Since internet is inexpensive sometimes free, instant and reliable than conventional communication, more and more people are making business online. Some sell and promote products via the internet and some shop at home. Some has given the option to work at home through freelancing.
However, one disadvantage of these conveniences provided by the internet is that it might unconsciously discourage people to make human contact. Thus, will make their experience less meaningful. An internet marketer keeps him away from human contact thus a greater possibility to feel lonely and isolated. Everybody needs to meet people and socialize. Your personal experience with them will create more rapport. You will also learn from them and get to know yourself more as well. The feedback you acquire from them is more genuine than those web savvies. Moreover, conducting online transactions will create inability of both consumers and businesses to evaluate the credibility and legitimacy of the transaction.
Internet on business saves time and money. Internet through chat and electronic mails made it possible for the employees to be able to communicate with the clients and management. These apparently cut down expenses since employees or companies don’t have to spend in traveling to attend business meetings. It will also increase the productivity of the employees since the easy and instant communication via the internet will give them more time to finish more activities.
However, the experience to go to places and see it yourself will be lessening. To physically and visually experience something has a greater impact and has a greater meaning. But there are also people who used internet for their own advantage through using online communication in acquiring knowledge from different kinds of people. They treat online communication as a great opportunity to gather information in an interactive manner – that includes exchanging information through personal email messages and support groups.
Since communication via the internet widens one’s social network, it is inevitable sometimes that people acquire some inappropriate culture from other countries. They might be easily influenced by friends abroad who enjoy such culture. They might apply it even though it is apparently inappropriate to adapt in his own society.
Communication can be very effective on the internet. However, on the internet you can not completely assume that the information is private. There are people or predators who can you’re your trust but eventually put you on dangerous situations for their own advantage. But on the other side, “internet makes it easier for governmental and private sector entities to obtain information about consumers and possibly use that information to the consumer’s detrimental”.
