Communicating Miscommunication | Teen Ink

Communicating Miscommunication

April 29, 2019
By lnaquin BRONZE, New Orleans, Louisiana
lnaquin BRONZE, New Orleans, Louisiana
2 articles 0 photos 0 comments

A massive problem with youth today is the lack of face to face communication. Usually, today’s teenagers believe that it is faster, easier, more efficient to communicate through text or through direct message. However, this mindset lacks the understanding that communication through text can be interpreted in many different ways. Consequently, people often find themselves in complicated situations as a result of miscommunications. In typed messages, the tone of voice can be easily distorted and lead to many different misinterpretations. Today’s society is so reliant on indirect communication that, when the time comes to have a direct conversation, people tend to find it difficult to have a fluent conversation. If society continues to become more and more comfortable with indirect communication, social skills will constantly deteriorate. People will soon become so accustomed to communicating over messages, that they may possibly lose the privilege of an in-person relationship with someone.  Additionally, this form of communication will begin to corrupt the minds of youth because it will lead them to believe that face to face conversations are unnecessary. If society continues to lose interest in face to face conversation, it will steadily enter into a state of numerous misunderstandings.

In order to change today’s view of direct communication, schools can begin clubs and have more conversations about why it is better to speak face to face. Schools can practice communication skills by having less technology involved in their curriculum. If students grow up knowing nothing except the use of technology, they will become more familiar with it, resulting in them viewing direct conversations as foreign.  In order to put this solution into action, students can begin to speak to the administration in their schools about how this problem affects them and how it can be resolved. They can put forth ideas on how to improve the lack of communication in their own classes among their own peers. In these clubs, students can do communication activities that allow them to better understand how direct communication benefits them. Also, speakers can come to schools and explain the dangers and hindrances of miscommunications through text. Students can take part in small events in their schools that remind them of how to communicate properly with their peers. Through club activities and conservations on this issue, students will not only hear but also fully understand why direct communication is the best option.

More focus on direct communication in schools will train students to continue to apply what they learn to their daily lives. As a result of drilling these concepts into the students’ minds, indirect communication will become less common. If direct communication, rather than technology, is taught to children at a young age, they will grow up with better social skills.  This is an effective solution because kids are almost always at school, so hearing these conversations daily may coax them into talking less over text. As a result, students and their peers would begin to notice how much more effective face to face conversation is. Moreover, these clubs and conversations will allow students to realize that by communicating indirectly they lose complete comprehension of a conversation. By taking part in these clubs, students will experience firsthand how miscommunication affects their lives. If one student begins to communicate less with his or her friend, that friend may possibly mimic their actions, resulting in a chain reaction. By implicating the benefits of direct communication is schools’ curriculums, students will have a better understanding of why they should begin to detach themselves from relying on indirect communication.


The author's comments:

This article speaks about how communication is constantly becoming less important in today's society and how this should be corrected.


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