My essay topic focuses on the emergence of earbud devices that attempt to translate conversations in realtime, working to eliminate language barriers. 

In 2018, Google unveiled a new device attempting to tackle language barriers: a pair of earbuds designed to produce real-time translation to the wearer. The product boasts that the wearer can speak and have their phone recite the statement to a receiver, and the receiver can respond and have their words translated in real time back to the wearer’s earbuds. Currently, there is clear clunkiness to the overall design and functionality that limits the device’s readiness for universal usage, and it is by no means the first of its kind to attempt to tackle language as a communication obstacle. But Google’s initiative is clear: one day Google hopes to unveil a device that can, with almost complete accuracy, translate a conversation between two individuals instantaneously. Google has not made any bold manifestos to universally remove language barriers, but the technology certainly hints towards a future where technology, too, can supersede language classes and Rosetta Stone courses.

But translating devices could pose a risk in oversimplifying a communication problem. If people lean too heavily on communication devices, they may no longer feel the need to try and learn new languages. This is problematic considering the underlying cultural significance of language as a form of expression. A device that attempts to oversimplify the work of translating between languages risks removing the intricacies that lie behind language as a form of expression within cultures. The devices will also be only accessible to those who can afford it, which further blocks out a huge part of the world from achieving this proclaimed universal communication.

Google translation holds some merit when translating a few words or phrases, and can be considered an appropriate supplement to an individual studying a language. But the nature of a language in all its components (as an oral, auditory, and literary form of expression) could not exist in a single translation device without a language losing some form of its distinctiveness. If we are to dedicate technological research to removing language barriers, our efforts should focus more on encouraging immersion and efficient language learning programs, not developing a device that will attempt to eliminate all language barriers. Learning a language is not just about removing a communication obstacle; it’s about understanding how other individuals articulate thoughts, ideas, and forms of expression. 

Current sources for research 

Kroulek, Alison. “15 Powerful Translation Apps and Devices for Travelers in 2018.” K International, Alison Kroulek Https://Www.k-International.com/Wp-Content/Uploads/2018/09/Weblogo-V7l.Png, 26 Jan. 2018, www.k-international.com/blog/translation-apps-2016/.

Metz, Rachel. “Google Pixel Buds Misunderstand, Translate a Great Idea into Horrible Design.” MIT Technology Review, MIT Technology Review, 15 Nov. 2017, www.technologyreview.com/s/609470/googles-pixel-buds-translate-a-great-idea-into-horrible-design/#comments.

There were a few quotes from Zuckerman’s book that contributed to the decisions I made when readjusting my Internet habits:

“Connecting with people when they live next door or in the same city; paying attention to the problems and concerns of people in the rest of the world is harder still.” – 23

“We are challenged to take seriously the idea that other possibilities  are worth our time and consideration, not our immediate opposition and rejection. When we embrace these, the effect can be uncomfortable and disconcerting. At the same time, it can also be a powerful force for those seeking insight or inspiration” – 24

Considering the spark of inspiration (the Dan people mask) that led to Picasso’s subsequent masterpieces that leaned on West African masks and sculptural forms, I decided to create a new digital environment where I am more likely to stumble upon inspiration for my own work by seeking out different feeds I don’t often scroll through. Starting with the beginning of the weekend, I considered the 10-30 leisurely minutes I spend on my phone (waiting in the dining hall, just before sleeping etc.) that are delegated to scrolling. 

This is the screen that I turn to when I’m bored and seeking out something entertaining.

For the Rewiring challenge, I first removed the applications from the home screen that I seldom used, deleted the Facebook app, and then created a home screen with several apps dedicated to design and art feeds, tech newsfeeds, and overall “bite-sized” news applications. I also added a couple applications that were dedicated to logical and puzzle brain games.

I quickly discovered that several news applications required paid subscriptions, and even though I was hoping to scroll through feeds that would lead me to find new “sparks”, I also realized that I was not especially interested in feeds with articles only about tech companies and their economic value. Eliminating and adding applications helped me better understand what I was actually looking for, which had less to do with finding news articles, and more to do with discovering new ideas. I wanted to find a balance between visual content as well as interesting articles featuring topics I had never read about before.  

(note: keeping Instagram was an application I debated deleting, and ultimately decided to keep while refraining from scrolling through it, and only using it to post artwork.)

When first selecting the content I thought I wanted to see, I soon found that most of the time that was inaccurate. I chose categories like mindfulness, fashion, beauty, and design, and then realized these categories were tailored more for a general population and didn’t offer as much substance as I hoped for. 

I ended up spending more time on my phone finding better applications to scroll through and ending up with one or two that I plan to continue looking through. In any case, I enjoyed taking more time to study applications and what they offered, because I better understood the content I wanted to expose myself to. 

I also began to realize that the less popular applications actually tailored more to my interests – breaking out of the more general news articles and into specific art and art history categories. 

Reine: Interviewees (Reine and President)

Gjorgji: Host

Hani: Reporter 1

Alena: Reporter 2

White House Party Script

Host: Well thank you to everyone who joined us for the March 4th 1829 inauguration. Let us all give a warm welcome to Andrew Jackson, the seventh President of the United States! I’m your host, George, and this is Inauguration Watch. Bob and Bertha are on site right now bringing us live news from this historic event. Bob, how are things in our nation’s capital today?

Reporter 1: Hey there George, it truly is a marvellous day here in DC! We’re broadcasting live from right outside the White House, President Jackson is wearing a classic 1820’s black tux and slicked back silver hair, like everyone else from the 1820’s. He’s just wrapping up his speech as we speak.

Host: What a strapping president!

Reporter 2: He sure is! President Jackson is giving final remarks to his supporters – they are quite a rowdy bunch, aren’t they?

Reporter 1: Indeed they are! This is live from the White House reporting that there are at least 10,000 supporters here, one of the largest inauguration crowds we’ve seen yet in our fledgling nation. It now appears that our new president has invited the audience to the White House for an inauguration celebration.

Host: Surely he’s not inviting the entire crowd, is he?

Reporter 2: President Jackson is now exiting the stage to return back to the White House.

Reporter 1: The crowd is getting progressively louder, pushing against the restraining wire. This looks rather troubling if I do say so myself.

Host: The Presidential Open House Reception is usually open for a few hundred guests maximum.

Reporter 2: It appears that the crowd is eager to join – the restaining wire is breaking.

Reporter 1: The crowd, nay, the mob is now forcing its way into the White House!

Reporter 2: Ten thousand guests are rushing past us right now!

Reporter 1: We’re watching President Jackson now – he looks flabbergasted.

Host: Well this clearly is what could happen when you invite the entire audience of an inauguration to celebrate!

Reporter 2: Our new President is panicking and now an absolute rager has erupted in the White House.

Reporter 1: President Jackson’s companions have formed a protective barrier around him. He is now being led outside to his horse.

Reporter 2: We are getting reports that Jackson is on his way to the Executive Mansion to get away from this chaos.

*2 hours later*

Host: It’s been 2 whole hours and this party shows no signs of stopping. Bob, update us on the situation in the white house!

Reporter 1: Well George, the white house is entirely trashed. I’m here with one especially rabid partier. Ms. Defranco, what are your thoughts on what’s happening today?

Reine: Well, Bob, this is quite a crazy night. The crowd is extremely rowdy – they’re destroying everything, and I love it! More people are entering through the windows, and the alcohol just keeps on coming! I’m so happy I made the long trip from Colorado…

Host: Bertha, any updates from the Executive mansion?

Reporter 2: I’m here standing next to the president, terrified by the chaos that’s happening. Mr president, could you comment on the situation?

President: This is a total disaster! All my presidential furniture is being obliterated! People are rubbing cheese on my carpets! They’re absolute hooligans! AHHH GET AWAY FROM ME PEASANT.

Reporter 2: The president  is now being pushed against a wall by the partiers – it looks like he’s about to be crushed! ………………… President Jackson’s companions come to the rescue again, forcing their way to the president and helping him exit the mansion – presumably through a back door or a window.

Host: This is a public service announcement from Washington D.C: If you are currently at the the White House party – LEAVE NOW.

Reporter 2: I’ve just spoken to one of the President’s comrades – Due to high level of insecurity Jackson is currently being relocated to a hotel. There he will be safe until the partying dies down.

Reporter 1: We’re getting reports that the alcohol is being relocated outside by the White House steward Antoine Michel Giusta to hopefully encourage this rabid mob to leave the area.

Host: Is it over yet?

Reporter 1: Follow up report: United States Congress has granted President Andrew Jackson $50,000 to repair the White House and the Executive Mansion.

Host: Looks like that’s it for White House parties for a while. Thank you to everyone who has tuned in to our magical time-travelling radio device. Please stay safe when celebrating the inauguration, and drink some water.

When I first approached the Stack Overflow page to choose a site, I didn’t expect the process of choosing a page to take so long. I figured I’d end up choosing something I’m quite familiar with (leading me to look at Graphic Design and Arts and Crafts), but I was more interested in joining sites that I had almost no relevance in joining.

I ended up joining five different sites and then spending more time answering questions on the Graphic Design site, since I actually had a little bit of help to give. I already felt like I had a foot in that community given my experience, and I was actually really impressed with the expertise that was happening within that group – there appeared to be designers with 10+ years of experience, answering questions from how to adjust vector lines, to doing full critiques of another person’s logo. Even though my score indicated I only recently joined the community, I felt quite at home answering questions and writing critiques because those had been regular class assignments in the past. It also made the idea of messaging strangers seem significantly less odd. 

The sites that I spent more time exploring led to more bizarre experiences. I signed up for the Parenting Overflow, and immediately felt as though I was intruding on people’s private lives. Where some posts were more simple (baby product recommendations etc.), others involved trying to get help from other parents dealing with rebellious teenagers. I didn’t expect to stumble upon people so publicly divulging in on more intimate family issues, and I felt like an outsider entering a community that I didn’t belong to. The site is clearly not meant for people exploring Stack Exchanges – it is a very closed community in which people feel very comfortable sharing and exchanging aid as parents. 

I found that the Puzzling Stack Exchange site had a more dual-sided exchange, where people entered the site to find interesting puzzles and logic games to solve – and others can find an answer to a question that is stumping them. It was one of the more lighthearted communities, and though I could barely wrap my head around several of the questions asked, I learned so much because people were so willing to not only answer but teach the process of how to think through complex logic problems. 

I was at first really excited about the Coffee Exchange so that I could ask a question about what people’s recommendations were for good coffee types and flavors, as well as how coffee masters make the perfect cup of coffee – but as I was posting my question I was told from the site that the question was very likely to be taken down because it was so vague (that was fair – I legitimately asked for recommendations on anything related to coffee). 

The Arts and Craft Exchange seemed like one of the lesser controlled sites in terms of content – art projects of any media or kind were discussed on the site, so questions ranged from asking “whether or not the artist should leave their emotions out of their projects” to “common causes for sticky harness needles”. 

Hani Hasani, Gjorgji Shemov, Alena Mikhalkovich, & Reine Defranco

Presentation Evaluation + Links and Slides

Link to Presentation Slide

Pre-internet virality

Chain letters

–  Newspaper exchanges

First Viral Videos

– Reefer madness

– First internet viral video

First Internet Meme

– Link to the article

Virality Study

–Kevin Allocca – Why Videos Go Viral

– Vice: Fake Top-Rated Tripadvisor Restaurant

– Video

Analytics

– Hoaxy

– Google Trends

– Talkwalker

Fake News Links

– Snopes

– Politifact

When our group first decided on virality for a presentation, we understood one of the central challenges would be covering a critical part of communication across history and a vast number of digital platforms. With our limited time available, we chose to touch on a variety of different components to virality to leave the class with more resources and questions to ask on the nature of virality.

We outlined the central aspects of virality to research, beginning with the psychology and theory behind virality (including its name attachment to biological virality), then progressing on to a few historical examples of virality, leading into class activities, modern day virality theory, and fake news.

Part of the interest behind virality was discovering the methods used to cause something to go viral, especially on modern platforms. Studying the theories of group triggering, Novelty Search, and Information Gap Theory was included to help supplement the discussions we hoped to have in class regarding how virality occurs so prevalently in modern platforms.

Looking back on the presentation, we were all excited about the level of class engagement throughout the presentation. Through the longer periods of slides, the questions and class activities managed to break up the longer segments of explanations.

The more disruptive points in the presentation included the technical glitches of clicking links and also going a few minutes overtime to finish the presentation. Looking back, we wish we had invested more time in a conclusion that could bring all elements of virality together. The presentation could have been boosted with a central takeaway for the class that could provide a synopsis between the virality theory, psychology, historical and present day examples, and fake news points.

We asked a few classmates for comments about the presentation and overall got largely positive feedback for the information discussed and the subsequent class discussions. The activities were great inclusions, and we wish we could have included more time for discussion in the last Google trends activity. Perhaps a more fluid integration of virality theory into the class discussions would have also been effective, versus jumping back and forth between the two sections.

(currently adding the Native American systems of communication after the 9pm deadline)

United States Postal Service

Colorado quickly became a distinguished region because of the most rampant form of communicative technology in the United States at the start of the Gold Rush – the US Postal Service. The Post Office Department did not bring in financial profit initially, but rather helped connect the east and west coasts. The mail carriers worked to find the best routes of travel and include supply stations on the path to California. The construction of the route would soon be used over the previous route – traveling by steamship down to the Panama canal, then crossing over and back up to the Californian coast.

The first overland mail service was sent from Salt Lake City to California. Overtime, more routes were perfected for safety and efficiency, leading to the opening of more routes, including the legendary Californian Butterfield Overland route. The route eventually managed to deliver postage every 22 days, connecting St. Louis and Memphis to San Francisco. Until the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869, mail was carried via stagecoach and steamship. Though postage itself never paid more than half of its expense, yet it was invaluable in expanding state commerce and trade, binding the west to the east. 

In the 1890s, the influx of people into Colorado increased with health professionals from abroad because of advertising and exchanging of letters describing Colorado as an ideal atmosphere for healing from consumption. Exchanging of letters led to greater investments in Sanitariums and visits from famous English writers suffering from tuberculosis. It can be argued that Colorado’s initial reputation as a healthy environment for easing TB symptoms in the Midwest ties to its current regional reputation as one of the most health-driven states in the US.

Native American Tribe Smoke Signals https://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/native-american-culture/war-paint.htm

(quick addition to the list I discovered recently, currently updating right now)

Smoke signals were one of the most common developments in Native American establishments for mass communication. By lighting several fires (best burned using damp leaves, oil, and animal dung to develop the thickest smoke) in a series and covering them with blankets to create pulsations of smoke in the air, tribes could communicate warnings, alarms, death counts from battles, as well as invitations to inter-tribal meetings. 

Native American War Paint 

War paint involved a language of symbolism and badges adorned by Native American Indians as means of communicating intimidation in battle and distinction, as well as other functions including camouflage, protection from weather and insects, mental religious preparation, ritual performances, and visual messages of victory or mourning. Each color used can reference a religious or emotional state, and in the 1800s body paint was a widespread means of visual emotional representation and communal support within individual tribes. It transcended verbal communication between tribes in social rituals, and established an hierarchy and level of prestige amongst tribe members.

https://www.encyclopedia.com/fashion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/war-paint

Colorado Newspapers

(I found this archive of old newspapers from my hometown)

https://informationwanted.wordpress.com/2014/07/22/print-media-mass-communication-in-19th-century-america/

Newspapers in the United States increased from 500 printed newspapers in 1820 to over 3,000 being published by 1860. Magazines further increased alongside the newspapers, both sources further jumping in popularity at the outbreak of the Civil War. The pricing of the papers themselves allowed for accessibility to all audiences. Specific newspapers targeted certain audiences including women, blue collar workers, and immigrants. Current newspapers in 2018 gained their routes from over a century ago, including the Sun, Herald, and Tribune. The newspapers included compilations of poetry, lectures, book reviews, advertisements, crimes, and politics. The African American communities at the time developed a greater sense of community and identity from the African Methodist Episcopal Church publication The Christian Recorder in 1852. Publications in the United States arguably stood at the forefront of communicative technology at the time in helping construct the United States identity in a population with such highly diverse backgrounds. 

Boulder County News publication established itself in 1869, just a decade after gold prospectors first discovered gold in the Boulder region. The news publication acted as the first pivot point to encourage a longterm community to stay within the region; what soon followed was the establishment of schools, universities, and railroads in the same decade. The publication was one of the first businesses established just after legislation passed to mark Territory of Colorado; it increased the incoming population by advertising the region, while also developing a unified community around the town.

(Note: I made 4 emojis because the marijuana leaf was one I disputed including, despite its prevalence as a common icon for Colorado. This has lead me to a more in-depth conversation on how cultures and regions can at times be identified by taboo images in other regions. Where the leaf might offend some, it is abundantly used in Colorado merchandising and advertisements. The usage of the leaf calls into question the dispute of universalizing images that have legal conflict in other regions, or reference activities that are not appropriate for all audiences.)

The Colorado flag –  The Colorado flag is adorned proudly and purchased by both visiting tourists and native Coloradans. I simplified it down to the yellow circle and red C because the center of the flag is the least amount of the flag needed for it to be identified as the Colorado flag. The red C and yellow dot further break out of the flag medium and now act as one of the most central icons for Colorado.

The Marijuana Leaf –  As Colorado was one of the first states to legalize recreational marijuana usage, the state is now abundant with dispensaries and marijuana-embellished merchandising. The legalization has led to a high increase in tourism as well as marijuana taxation becoming a significant industry in Colorado’s state economy. 

The DIA Blue Mustang – Most visitors flying into the Denver International Airport comment on the blue mustang statue because it has these bright red  glowing eyes that pierce through the night. Though many tourists have distaste for its unsettling stature, there is a lot of hometown pride for having this horse outside of the airport because of its polarizing effect on people entering Colorado.

Red Rocks Concert Venue – As one of the most famous natural outdoor venues in both Colorado and the nation, it is expected that every native Coloradan make annual visits to Red Rocks to see concerts or attend festivals and workout events. The giant red rock in my emoji is the iconic structure that surrounds the venue. 

Initial Reactions:

For one of my longtime best friends back in Colorado, I casually messaged “Man I miss Colorado”, and then inserted the emojis. The immediate response was: “are these emojis you made?”. I followed up the response by asking what would be changed/added to the Colorado emojis. She suggested:

I next messaged my sister, this time just sending the emojis and fully disclosing the project. She suggested I make an emoji for the flatiron rocks in Boulder, and add the seating rows to the Red Rocks emoji. 

The Red Rocks Amphitheater and the Flatirons Boulder Rocks:

From this feedback, I made round 2: 

Second Followup: My sister commented that the leaf was a little too simplified, but the changes for the Red Rocks landscape and flatirons formation were appropriate and easily recognizable. My friend further commented that the green “wasn’t quite right” for the flatirons landscape; she mentioned that the colors for the landscapes were too literal, and would need to be more saturated or exaggerated like the sunset emojis in the current keyboard. The red rock needed to return to being an actual red rock, and the flatirons needed to be a brighter yellow color, with the sky more faded to allow the structures to take over. Despite this, both my friend and sister responded very positively to the final emojis, and as concepts they seemed to properly embody Colorado.

In my personal reflections, I find that the blue horse is likely the least recognizable Colorado icon for people outside of the state, as it is much more of an inside joke amongst locals. By contrast, the two landscape emojis I created could be repurposed into either a mountain landscape or an outdoor concert venue (much like the lotus position representing peace and calmness in addition to its more literal definition of meditation and yoga).

The leaf on its own is definitely far too controversial to be included into a universal keyboard, though this also calls into question the emoji representations for alcohol, the middle finger, the syringe, the pill, the bomb and other more controversial emojis. I find it interesting how, on the delicate scale for universality, marijuana is an example of a very well known substance that, due to its illegality in most parts of the world, cannot be implemented in a keyboard. Unicode also has to keep in mind that the earliest age for people to have phones and send emojis is younger than ever; all emojis, by this standard, must be appropriate for all audiences, including the elementary school students with iPads in school.

If Colorado were to have its own strict set of emojis, I imagine that the cigarette would be removed, as cigarettes are far more controversial and frowned upon than marijuana consumption. My sister mentioned that she could see herself using the landscape emojis as a way of encouraging a trip to visit one of the locations, as a way of heading into downtown Boulder or going to a concert. The horse, though iconic for people in Colorado, currently does not hold much functionality in conversation unless the conversation was perhaps specific to the DIA. The Colorado flag is likely the one icon that could take up its own definition beyond what it is; in reference to Colorado lingo, or any Colorado inside jokes, the icon would pose very well in messaging to substitute the word Colorado. 

Method: I used Illustrator for the entire process. For the landscape emojis, I googled Colorado Red Rocks and Colorado Flatirons, seeking out the clearest image that could still be identifiable even as a small square. I adjusted the saturation and contrast of the colors in the images, then inserted them into Illustrator and image traced. I further took the frame from the current landscape emojis to create a final product.

For the Colorado flag and marijuana leaf, I googled both and ended up with already simplified pngs. I tried choosing a green that wasn’t so neon and glib, more so trying to find a subtle, natural green (one that could blend in with the rest of the emojis on the keyboard).

The Blue Mustang was also created by finding a perfect portrait of the horse in an image, image tracing it in Illustrator, and editing the colors to make the horse a brighter blue. I then added the red eye as the final iconic detail for its recognition (though admittedly this detail is not visible in such a small platform).

In terms of sending the icons, I chose Facebook messenger, as it is the platform where I send the most emojis. I screenshot the Facebook emojis to get a sense of their sizing (about 66 by 68 pixels in size), then modified mine down to the same size so that when they sent, they appeared as small icons. 

 

I may have taken a more extreme approach to the 8-hour technology cleanse by also removing any form of contact to other people for the first 6 hours, and not working in any environments with music or people. Much like Turkle’s analogy to Thoreau’s first of four chairs (46), I chose to spend the time without technology to be with my own thoughts.

I have to note that perhaps on a very very normal day, I would have likely also preferred electroshocks to complete boredom when sitting alone in my quiet studio (Turkle 10). Yet in the past weekend I had several different crises I needed to mull over, including accepting a new position as a senior on campus and understanding how to best navigate the final year in university. There were several thoughts on the back burner that I wish I had spent more time turning over in my head on the flight to campus back in early September. I had delayed several conversations with myself, and now I finally had time to give them my undivided attention.

The eight hours became a time of full personal reflection and inventory. It was because of the vast number of conversations and questions in my mind that the idea of staying in a room for five hours without music or contact was actually a blessing. I began jotting down notes and webs and doodles, actually giving space to these thoughts and allowing them to unfold. I came to several resolutions and plans for the future, as well as more difficult conclusions that I needed to face. 

Throughout this time, and as seen in my journaling, I desperately needed music more than anything. I believed that any form of technological distraction could actually shift my focus back towards readings and more legitimate work. I felt a strong pang of guilt for avoiding my work, and an even stronger guilt for not being readily available to anyone that needed me.

As it turns out, a visiting friend happened to be on campus, and I missed meeting them because they contacted me at one point in the eight hours. But for the first 6 hours of no communication, I was quite okay with not speaking to anyone. I had a task at hand, and I had work to be doing, even if it wasn’t necessarily conventional. I leapt at the first chance to be alone, and took advantage of the silence instead of avoiding it. 

Having reread The Machine Stops, I noted this profound sense of “being” that is completely dependent on machinery, as quoted in The Homelessness chapter: “The Machine…feeds us and clothes us and houses us; through it we speak to one another, through it we see one another, in it we have our being” (Forster). The full form of human expression in The Machine Stops world is dependent on technology for human identity and personality. The people stuck within that world believe that through their continuous schedules and lecturing they achieve spirituality. In terms of the technology cleanse, I found that I was actually avoiding several questions and conversations in my mind, and it was easy to distract myself from them through technology. I now argue that boredom may be the first feeling when entering an open space for thought, but after this boredom results in questions previously left unanswered or ignored, similar to Turkle’s observations of young children alone in the woods for a long period of time, and eventually beginning to ask questions after a few hours (26).

After reflecting on the previous human breakthroughs in information and communication in James Gleick’s The Information, I can only imagine the artifacts to be left behind from the early 2000 decades, where the complete timelines of peoples’ lives will soon be evaluated to the same degree we currently study Babylonians tablets. When I consider communication and technology today, I immediately think of the emotionally triggering phenomena that occur because of the ability to disappear in the middle of interactions. The ability to have an off-switch, or a mute button between you and another individual is almost too convenient, and I argue is the fatal flaw of technology today in communication: we are now so tangible to each other that silence is deafening. I find myself both apologizing continuously for not getting back to people while also staring at the “last active” icon in What’s App. It’s so hard to gauge people’s level of interests or if they’re simply busy, and now communication includes a new degree of anxiety that originates from messaging with the fear of coming off the wrong way, or deciphering how a person actually feels on the other end of an interaction. We are left guessing the true intentions of another individual when divided by technology, and slowly we are also developing a new means of attributing emotion to messages and images, down to the suggested meaning behind adding extra letters to the end of a word.

I was left with a bit uncertainty after reading Marshall McLuhan’s comment in The Information when he describes the electric age as a “return to the roots of human creativity” (48). I would argue that the freedom associated with messaging applications is the freedom to remove one’s entire body language from a conversation. Messages have the ability to include direct emotion in caps lock and emojis etc., but they can more often than not conceal. Though a new language for reading messages has developed (where /s after messages references sarcasm, and single-word messages can come off as curt), the ability to choose how much emotion is disclosed to another person leads me to conclude that the technological era is a form of communication that is both a step above the discovery of writing, but still falls short of the creative power available to a person in face-to-face interactions.

At present, I am awaiting the discovery of a new definition of communication using modern technology that hasn’t been defined yet, a definition that encompasses the new experiences associated with technology including ghosting a person, the judgement behind grammatical errors, and the ability to confront another person without having to see them face to face. It is the growing anxiety and deciphering qualities of messaging that peak my interest in modern communication and technology, and how much excess energy is now being spent trying to understand interactions over text that likely may be easier to evaluate and understand in person.