It’s never been easier to communicate with the world. What we write can go anywhere with an Internet connection in seconds. Fifty years ago, it would have taken a heavy investment in satellites, negotiations with gatekeepers, and a good dose of determination to get anywhere close to that kind of reach.
Before digital communication, it took so much to get a message out worldwide, that it was carefully edited. Experts would examine each word and phrase to be sure the intention of the message was optimized. Such an expensive message resulted in more responsible communication.
Now, a teenager in Bangladesh can become a worldwide sensation with a quirky video. The communication doesn’t have to be responsible, just viral.
And video is just as cheap and quick to get out as the written word. It would have been the envy of major television stations just a few decades ago.
We can get information out with ease. We can also push disinformation out just as easily. Before we know it, a lie can make it all around the world. A flippant comment can influence far beyond its original intent. That puts a lot of responsibility on us… at least it should!
We live in a time full of communication. Let’s be sure we’re responsible with that power.
