Intercultural Communication and Technology

Intercultural Communication and Technology

Social media such as Facebook is a great way people around the world can communicate with one another. With social media, people worldwide have the capability to interact with one another.  People can message one another privately and discuss whatever they would like. They can use the video calling feature that Facebook now has, which would allow them to talk face to face virtually. Photos and videos are also easily shared through social media. People can post photos or videos of what is going on in their life at any moment and share them with the world, or at least their followers and friends. Although people live oceans apart, with social media they can still be connected with one another.

Although we have this amazing technology, it does not give a person the exact same interaction one would have if he/she were speaking with someone in person. A person’s body language is not easily visible through video call and it is totally nonexistent when messaging. Body language and expression can tell a lot about the way a person is feeling or is perceiving information. Without this, instant messages could potentially be misinterpreted and other communication cues could be missed.

Another technology that is available is for world wide communication is Face Time. This video calling technology is available on any apple product. People can use this technology to video chat with someone who is far away that they cannot see face to face. This technology is very convenient and a wonderful asset to families who are not able to see each other very often. However, it lacks qualities that face-to-face communication has. This lacks the involvement of other senses that heighten our experiences face to face have, such as handshakes or hugs. This technology also can be frustrating sometimes with delayed responses or pauses. Face time does make communication over distance more accessible for people with some disabilities. It allows difference screen sizes for people with vision issues and it also allows the deaf to lip read or sign. This is wonderful for people to be able to communicate with friends or family that they otherwise may not can communicate with face to face.

At the end of the video we watched, one of the kids says, “The world is as big or as small as you make it.” I love this quote, because I believe that it is so true. If you are not willing to get out and explore this huge world we live in, then “your world” will be very small. By using these technologies along with sensitivity to how our communication can be perceived, we have the opportunity to learn from other people across the world. We can exchange facts about our culture and every day life, which will allow everyone the chance to learn about different cultures throughout the world.

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