Power On Display

If one needs a powerful reminder of just how far-reaching the communication tools of today are, then they need to look no further than the recent, most tragic death of George Floyd, the citizen of Minnesota who was killed by a police officer. The officer cut off Floyd's ability to breath while attempting to apprehend Floyd. The whole incident - which lasted not quite ten minutes - was recorded by a witness who filmed it all on their cell phone. Moments after it happened, the witness shared the video with friends and family, who in-turn shared it with their friends and family, and on and on. Along the way, the media also obtained a copy of Floyd's killing.

The video of the police officer-Floyd incident eventually was picked up by people and media outlets throughout the entire world. Shortly afterward, protesters took to the streets to voice their outrage at the fatal violence that the police officer had inflicted upon Floyd. The protesters were not just in Minnesota or in parts of the United States. They were seen in every state of the union as well as cities and countries throughout the world. As I write this, they are still happening. And all was set in motion as a result of what one person captured on their cell phone and then shared with others. Putting aside the needless death of  Floyd for a moment, the power of this simple communication tool cannot be denied.

Historically, it was not that long ago when it would take months and even years for news of significant events to reach the general population. Nowadays, that time span has been reduced to seconds. Such a reality reinforces the notion that our world, indeed, is much smaller than it used to be. Regardless of one's home address, the connection between all people everywhere is much stronger and immediate than we realize. For that, we have our enhanced ability to communicate to thank.