and as such again...

Then there is the instant chat messaging, one that has indeed revolutionized the way communication is today. Conversations takes place in a real-time environment, where thoughts and feelings is conveyed through typefaces and fonts. How has that taken away the true meaning of communication, conversation and emotions? "Emoticons" are varying and come in a vast variety today, that in order to communicate a more effective way of typing, or simply just saying that i am "sad", or "really happy", and even "really really frustated". How's that for one to emote?

I have had my fair share of instant communications with peers and strangers alike over the internet, all that did well, of course, in sending and conveying real-time information. But i went through a hiatus of not using the instant messaging programs for over a month just recently, and slowly i began to see again, "communication" in the true sense of the word, that indeed communication has more value, and that it's real. You would spend time calling up someone to talk over the phone, and ending up having a better conversation, because you can hear the other person smile, you can hear the other person laugh, or you can even tell whether the person is having a good day or not. It surely has not been counter-intuitive like many of these communication programs have done for us. You find more pride in calling your friends now, because you know these friends didn't exist on your "MSN" buddies list, nor your email address book, but simply because they are your friends, and you actually bothered to call them, or vice versa.

But of course, nothing should beat a face-front conversation over a good cup of tea or an evening beer over a meal. Lately nobody sends flowers to anyone's house anymore, because you can now send a real-time 2kb red red flower that comes out prettier than a rose itself, or park an alien in front of your face. So really while at the same time, all these technologies serves a great purpose, i think communication has moved in another direction, contradicting itself in the very least. Then of course, you know the friends you see on a regular basis, are friends to stay. Take out all the emailing, take out the instant messenger, take out the chat-rooms, and the mobile sms and you will know what i mean.