Now just to let you know this post has zilch to do with design. More appropriately, it has to do with the art of communication—a lost art, or so it seems. Something I have noticed over the last few years is how people’s attention spans have dwindled along with the manner in which they communicate with one another. I was watching an episode of The X-Files the other day and something one of the characters said rang true in this regard.
Afternoon talk shows and tabloid TV—they’ve reduced our attention span to the length of a sound bite so that soon our ability to think will be as extinct as the rhinus venisefula frog.
- The X-Files, Quagmire
For the uninitiated, the character is a environmental biologist and the rhinus venisefula frog is a species that is going extinct around this lake in the episode. I quote it here because it helps illustrate my point; with the invention of text-messaging, the Internet, and sundry other devices which require little to no intercommunication skills, we have lost touch with a simpler and more meaningful form of relating which once defined us as a species.
As a designer on the Internet I have seen this verbal extinction building over the years to plague proportions. From the time I bought my first computer and discovered Web-speak (LOL, BRB, TTFN, etc.) to walking through grocery aisles and seeing people with cell phones plastered to their faces as if they were born with the dang things attached there. It’s quite unnerving, really. I used to joke that if I met someone on the street I couldn’t say hello because I forgot to bring my keyboard. It isn’t so funny anymore.
When I first started receiving e-mails from people who wanted me to do some manner of design work for them (usually for free) the context of their messages was rather disturbing. At most it usually consisted of one line with a complete disregard for grammar—“i ned a free grphc fer my website pleez.” I seriously began to wonder what they were teaching our kids in school.
We have become linguistically lazy, a nation reliant on electronic devices to communicate for us, and when we do speak (or write) it’s usually only a few words, if that. Now I’m just as guilty of this myself, but at the very least, even if I’m only going to write or speak a few words, I try to make it somewhat engaging. A personal pet peeve of mine is “dry talk”—inane one-liners like ‘How’s the weather?’ or ‘Nice day, isn’t it?’ If you don’t have anything more significant to say to me then, please, don’t say anything at all. I can have more meaningful conversations with the wall in my apartment.
Ok, Mr. Strunk, so how can I be more engaging with just a few words? Easy. Like anything else we do it just takes a little effort. If you’re making a logo design for a client you take the time to fit the essence of the company, image, and product into a small space; the same care should be taken even for small talk. Although it’s a hectic world and few opportunities arise for any in-depth discussion (especially on the Web) you can at least take a moment to be more creative in what you are about to write or say to someone.
The whole point is to make our communication more personal. Whether it be a long discussion or the length of a sound bite. And perhaps with a little care and practice we can resurrect this lost verbal art form before it goes the way of the rhinus venisefula frog.
About the author: Doug Cloud is a freelance graphic artist from Michigan specializing in branding, character design, graphic design, illustration, and personal identity development. Visit him at Doug Draws and follow him on Twitter.
Author: dcloud (2 Articles)
Cartoons and comics were a big inspiration while I was growing up. I spent countless hours with the great Charles Schultz, Walt Kelly, and Johnny Hart. Naturally this influenced the direction and style of my work. I think deep down I’ve always been a kid at heart. My work has character and personality. It makes people smile. And in the end that should be the goal of any great design – to make people happy.
Hi Doug,
Great article you wrote here. I would have to agree with your claims. Many of our discussions or conversations haves been limited to short boring conversations. Perhaps we have programs such as msn messenger, twitter and other chat or micro blogging platforms. The issue had to start somewhere and judging from what you said having a pc is the first step.
I enjoy conversation but to save time I find myself using other medians that allow for fast conversations. I think I enjoy twitter the most. It’s funny that someone would actually send you that description to create an image. I guess they expect you to have the creative ability to determine or decide what type of image will suit the site best.
bbrian017´s last blog ..Friday Blog Traffic Report 14
The inspiration for this article came from my many dealings with people I’ve met through the Internet. People who respond with one line or one sentence and you’re left scratching your head about the rest. My new motto is “If you can’t invest beyond one sentence then I can’t invest in you.”
The person who sent me that message was an uneducated idiot. Like all the other idiots in my life I’m slowly weeding them out.
dcloud´s last blog ..Branding Me