If every action has an equal and opposite reaction – what is the effect of exploding volumes of SMS messages, 140 character tweets, wall posts and short form Facebook messages, unveiled last month. Could it be that we’re losing our collective ability to write intelligently, and dare I say, even artfully?
That’s an argument that some make in a New York Times story today from Matt Richtel. More specifically, as email gives way to quicker and more instantaneous forms of communication (ie. Facebook Messages), it encourages us to cut corners in the way we write. But, this begs the question, so what?
There are a few distinct angles to look at this issue:
Generational Gap: Yahoo makes the case that email is still incredibly relevant, and the fact that teenagers have a declining interest in this form of communication doesn’t mean that working professionals are going to be tweeting that attachment to their boss anytime soon. What is perhaps more interesting is observing what impact this generational divide will have on the workplace in, say, 5-10 years when today’s digital teenagers become tomorrow’s diligent workers. Will they conform to communication etiquette or shake the foundation?
In the Media: This is much less about how email & short form messages correlate, and more about the state of writing in, possibly, its purest form – journalism. “Social” communication (ie. quick bursts of information) is having an undeniable impact on the way journalists present information for the public to consume. Look no further than the rise of online news vs. the fall of print media and the debate over journalists writing for search terms – not people. Further, Gawker recently shed light on their new blog format, one that presents information in an even quicker, and easier to consume format. But, does easy to consume = lower quality?
In Communications: If we’re all drowning in a sea of information – news, messages, emails, social updates, tags, tweets even “pokes” – we have less and less time to wade through that information at our fingertips and decipher what is interesting and unique. In PR, we’ve been taught that communication with reporters, and press releases alike, need to be more direct and to the point. But, does that inhibit our ability to tell a powerful story? Earlier this year I wrote about the idea put forward by Alan Webber, that content is not king; rather, context is king. It is the responsibility of successful communications professionals to find the common themes in information and present it in a new & interesting light. But, when we do that, will anyone have the time to read it?
So, if there’s one thing that is clear, it’s that the information overload and the communications evolution solicit a lot more questions than answers.
An idealist would likely say that clever, interesting, intelligent writing still has its place – and, in fact, that it is the solution to breaking through the clutter. Perhaps a realist would counter that while that may be true; it’s becoming harder than ever. Me? I stopped reading six paragraphs ago.
And, what about those pesky teenagers? Do they even care? Well, head out to Seattle and ask the kids from Shorewood High School. They just completed a week of a “social media blackout” – no texting, email, Facebook or twitter (full story here). Conclusion: One 17 year old said he found out his friends are “awfully awkward on the phone.” Well, at least we know some things haven’t changed then.