One of the things I have found in my media studies is the concept or tendency for new new media and technology being speed-up focussed. Making communication happen faster and faster, instantaneous even. But as I began to chat with my wife from Cambodia on one of those instantaneous chat mediums, and I thought about changing medium to a voice call medium, I realised that in this particular moment the chat medium was actually slowing me down. Something I believe is valuable in a speed-up focused age.
Perhaps it was just because I am using a smartphone for the chatting, but the demand it was placing on me, to stay focused on the conversation was high. I could switch to another app in between chat posts, but it's not the same as being on a computer. My phone can only let me have one app on screen at a time. Whilst I do get a notification when a new message comes, switching between apps meant I was acutely aware of leaving the conversation, even as I waited for the next post. Even with the TV on in my room I had to maintain my visual focus to ensure I responded in a timely manner or risk the conversation waning. This conversation was demanding my attention and I chose to give it.
Somewhere in the conversation it actually turned to this topic as I realised that had I decided to call my wife, we would have covered the same content in a much shorter time. And so because of how we were communicating, we didn't need so much to say to enjoy quite a long time committed to communicating with each other. She did suggest that it's just me, and maybe this is the case, but I think there is something about a phonecall that suggests it needs a reason beyond just talking. Perhaps when the reason is just for talking, there needs to be a longer period between calls to ensure there is enough content to achieve the objective.
It just took me a little by surprise to feel myself being slowed down and asked to focus by a medium sold to us as instantaneous.
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