Fearing Communication Advances
Since the dawn of civilization, humans have generally feared new forms of communication. Like most new technological advances, there are always naysayers. For instance, when writing was invented in the 4th millennium B.C., critics feared that face-to-face communication between empires and cultures would become obsolete. Similar concerns surfaced when paper was invented during the 2nd century B.C. Some believed that the human mind would deteriorate since it was no longer required to memorize great amounts of information. In more recent times, the newspaper industry initially rejected the typewriter because they believed it would make news printing available to any layperson. And even postcards have been accused of threatening “literacy standards” because of the use of shorthand.
Today, social media is at the forefront as a new form of communication, and receiving plenty of criticism like many previous advances. So are the critics right? Are Twitter and Facebook destroying the fabric of our interpersonal worlds? Or is it just another new way to communicate that will serve its purpose in today’s world and eventually be replaced by the next new thing (that will surely be feared and critiqued as well)?