DIGITAL devices have effectively replaced conventional modes when it comes to major festivals.
From greeting cards to monetary gifts, mobile phones are now the primary medium.
Greeting cards are effectively gone, and cash or “angpows” will follow soon. It’s not all bad as digital devices enable faster and cheaper communication worldwide.
However, we would have crossed the line when even social interactions during family gatherings are done digitally. Family members may be sitting in the same room but they are in different worlds. Everyone is busy with digital interactions, forgetting about the people around them.
As Malaysian families tend to gather around during major holidays such as Aidilfitri, Chinese New Year, Deepavali and Christmas, the digital trend becomes an issue every time.
Instead of strengthening family or friendship bonds, digital activities interrupt such rare opportunities. While we cannot deny technological advances, certain things should remain conventional — human interactions included.
Digital communications can never replace good old human connections. Written words simply can’t convey the same meaning as spoken ones. It’s worse when modern abbreviations and acronyms are used.
HUMAN CONNECTION
Humans have a unique and beautiful way of communicating with one another.
That is why Albert Mehrabian, a psychologist from the 1930s era, developed a communication model, in which he demonstrated that only seven per cent of what we communicate consists of the literal content of the message.
The use of one’s voice, such as tone, intonation and volume, take up 38 per cent and as much as 55 per cent of communication consists of body language. This 7-38-55 model is still used today.
According to him, interpersonal communication consists of three elements: verbal (words spoken), intonation and body language.
“Verbal” is for words that are literally being said while “intonation” is how something is being said. This means that the same word can mean a few different things depending on the tone. Intonation is usually influenced by one’s emotions, feelings and moods. These are difficult to capture in digital devices even when using emojis and all.
And that hasn’t included the “body language” element yet. It’s defined as the posture, facial expressions and gestures someone uses.
Parents must control the usage of such devices among family members. They must be a good role model too. Practise an “electronic-free” period for an hour or two every day. A suitable time is usually in the evening when everyone is back home. Enjoy this time with your whole family without electronic disruptions. Turn off every device such as mobile phones and even the Internet modem.
Spend time the conventional way by physically interacting with the family while enjoying a perfect dinner together. Take advantage of holiday gatherings to get this started.
The combination of verbal-intonation-body language can create a magical formula to convey the true meaning of words. They can trigger the right emotional buttons to create a more effective and harmonious environment. This in essence, is something even the best digital devices can’t do.
Zaid Mohamad coaches and trains parents to experience happier homes and more productive work places. Reach him at [email protected].