Lots of Noise

In many ways, we are in the age of communication. As individuals and as a society, never before have we had so many ways to communicate with one another. And, not surprisingly, never before have we as individuals and as a society communicated with each other in so many different ways. As a result, we have never enjoyed a time in history that is more enlightening and liberating. The fact that a person like me with no cultural notoriety or massive following can potentially reach thousands and even millions of people throughout the world through one blog is a tiny example of how communication has transcended pre-existing national and international technical and political barriers and is now enabling men and women of all ages to be heard, reach out, and make connections.

The result is lots of people, famous and unknown, are doing just that. People have been given a voice like never before. Once, chewing the fat with a neighbor was a big deal. Today, one can just as easily gossip with a person who lives on the opposite side of the planet and even develop as close of a connection with that person as they can with their neighbor who lives next door. In many ways, this new reality represents communication as its best. At the same time, however, because more and more people are becoming active players in the communication age, the noise level in the world has risen dramatically. Lots of people are "talking" via the Internet, their cell phones and other communication tools. But has what I call the listening level kept pace with all this increased talking?

The higher the noise level the harder it is for any of us to adequately tune in, appreciate and understand what is being said to us and around us. With the increased amount noise throughout the world there comes a greater burden on our shoulders to be better listeners. This is a good thing, but it is also not an easy challenge to assume. Think of any child that learns to speak. Is there anything they would rather do than talk, talk, talk? It is only through patience, time and trial and error that they are taught the value of being able to listen as well as talk. This, I believe, is where we as individuals are in this new age of communication. We are learning to talk like never before and it is wonderful to the point of making one feel dizzy. The time is now for the other half of communication - listening - is be joined with the first half. Once brought together, it will help raise the level of communicating to heights we as citizens of the world have never known. It will also make the increased noise level not seem so imposing.