Computer-mediated communication (CMC) is always a debatable issue. CMC is good to people or ruin people's relationship?
In my opinion, I think it has both advantages and disadvantages. Today's technologies have led almost all people rely much on the technologies. Without technologies, people cannot accomplish their works.
I am the person who use smartphone every day. If you ask me, can you live without your smartphone. I will probably answer yes. But, will I think about my smartphone all the time without it? It is undeniable that I will miss my smartphone. I used to contact my friends and family members through social media. I think the best thing of phones (dumb or smart phones) is it can contact people.
Advantages
So, the first advantage of CMC is to connect people who are far apart. CMC can be synchronous communication and asynchronous communication. Synchronous communication is the communication happens in real-time. A phone call happens within the people in different places, but they can receive other's messages immediately and reply them. CMC is not restricted with the time and place. It can save time for communicators to transfer the messages.
Besides, I think that CMC helps to reduce the communication barriers. Some people may feel uncomfortable to talk face-to-face with others. CMC is another way to help people to prepare before telling somethings to others. Asynchronous communication is when the communication does not happen at the real-time. In this situation, people may choose not to have a phone call. Sending e-mail is an example of asynchronous communication. When it is not happen in real-time, people can make preparations before telling or responding.
Disadvantages
From my experiences, I found that CMC limits understanding. Sometimes misunderstanding is easily happened. This is because we cannot see people's facial expressions. I care less about others' feelings. The same symbol or word may have different meanings between communicators.
Media Richness Theory
In this theory, it explains communication medium is good to handle the messages which are seen as complex. Sometimes the medium can provide more richness in communication but sometimes provide less richness. CMC in different medium will give different richness in communication.
Furthermore, the disadvantage of CMC is it causes people rely too much on electronic devices to communicate. People who stay under same house or even sit together in a round table, they might also communicate through electronic devices. It will lead to a "laziness" in communication. It is an unhealthy environment to build good relationship between each and other. It can ruin people's relationships as they rely too much on CMC.
How about your opinions towards this issue? Let's have your CMC in the right situation and have your F2F communication as much as possible when you can.
the presence of smartphone in my life, most of the time, is functioning as entertainment more than connecting people. but as i come to university life, yes, it started to become mainly a medium for me interact with others, either for study purposes or stay connect with friends and family. both CMC and F2F have their own pros and cons depends on how people utilize them.
ReplyDeleteYou're right. We should utilize it well. We should make it a balance between both CMC and F2F.
DeleteThank you for the nice sharing!
ReplyDeleteIn terms of relationship with people who are close with me, I do not really prefer CMC. Because I feel like talking to a machine and it does not feel real. Definitely, there is no doubt that CMC speeds up interaction with people.
However to me, I weight quality more than the speed of the interaction.
I get what you mean as face to face communication is more real. This is because it includes nonverbal communication and people's feelings.
DeleteThanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, CMC has a limitation that F2F is better with it. But, it has been a good tool for distant communication. As we cannot meet our friends from far in person, we can use CMC to connect with them.
CMC is fast and we can connect with other anytime and anywhere. Undeniable it excludes people's nonverbal communication. Through nonverbal communication, we can know more about others.
DeleteYes, I agree that CMC has both advantages and disadvantages to us. In my opinion, although CMC can break down the barriers of communication, but CMC cannot replace the face to face human interaction.Hence, as human beings we must make sure that we do not abuse the comfort CMC had given us
ReplyDeleteCMC can enhance our communication as we can't meet others all of the time. I agree with you that CMC cannot replace face to face communication.
DeleteAs you shared, the major difference of CMC and F2F is distance. No matter how short or how long the distance is, people nowadays are used to CMC in a longer time in a day rather than F2F The time spent with Internet are getting longer and longer, the time for F2F only left with daily interaction during breakfast, lunch, and dinner or for working purposes such as meeting. But even now, meetings can be done in CMC ways too. Of course, CMC cannot replace F2F, but CMC will happen in our life more frequently than F2F.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your sharing. CMC is getting wider in using. It helps people to save their time. However, F2F communication is still a must within people.
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