Necessity of Life - Communication

One theory that I wish to cast upon you is that communication is the single most important factor in our lives (outside of physical necessities). We cannot interact or even survive without communication. It is for that reason that we are always communicating with those around us, whether in verbal or non-verbal ways. Scientific studies have indicated what isolation (and therefore lack of communication) can do to a person. If you are not familiar with the results they include; delusion, weight loss, hysteria, depression, and in some cases death. In fact, one of the most common and effective methods of torture is isolation.

We can see that communication is to a certain degree at least, detrimental to our health. Despite this we scurry about not talking to those around us. How many of you can honestly say that you have talked to every person who works near you or every person that sat next to you in a desk in school. Not many I imagine. So if communication is such a vital part of us as human beings, why is it that so many shy away from communicating? I would venture to guess that even though communication can bring about so much good, it also brings out the bad and as a result, outside of the safe means of business or jest many people speak as if they walk on egg-shells. We do this mainly because we are afraid of saying something stupid, wrong, hurtful, or offensive. Politically correct is a word all too often used.

When someone is communicating with you the first response we typically have is based off of the emotions that we are feeling at that moment. For example, if someone is talking to us and we are in a hostile or angry mood we will likely take whatever said as negative, likewise when we are in a good mood the opposite can happen. I would venture to argue that if we were to accept the necessity of communication and take a more “logical” approach to those we interact with then we would actually be in a better mood overall, afterall, if we use a logical view, then the harm that can be caused by communication can be greatly reduced. Remember to look at the whole picture before making a response and remember that our moods interpret what we hear & see. Interaction with others is vital to our survival and a keystone to basic happiness..... Well, more another day perhaps, but now I have to get back to that pesky little task called “work” :)