One of the biggest reasons we, as human beings, are on top of the food chain is because we have the ability to communicate effectively and think as a collective.
One on one, we stand no chance with many of the biggest beasts that call the earth home without having firepower at our disposal. The early people who roamed the earth obviously weren’t equipped with guns or crossbows, but they were able to strategize and create tools to give themselves an upper hand. Tools such as throwing spears were never enough to take down a beast like the wooly mammoth unless people worked together. Over time as people learned more and more, we became the dominant species on this planet.
But the ability to communicate is becoming more and more of a lost art in today’s society, and while we are far from fully collapsing from a survival standpoint, our society seems destined for ruin, if it isn’t already there.
The issue isn’t that we don’t talk to one another enough. It’s not even that we don’t hear the person we’re talking to. It’s that we don’t listen.
There are so many examples of relationships being discarded because people never really tried to work on their issues together. It usually isn’t that they didn’t want to try, but they were unable to communicate what it is they were feeling, what made them feel that way and how to improve it, as well as not being able to listen, comprehend and take necessary action.
We tend to hint at what we want rather than being open and honest about it. Complaining about being the only one in the house doing dishes and expecting others to pick up on the hint that you need some regular help isn’t going to make them jump to your aid. Asking them after explaining the strain, however, can go a long way.
I don’t pretend to believe I am some excellent communicator and am always equipped to have meaningful conversations when needed. But I’ve made mistakes, learned from them and now have a better understanding of my strengths and weaknesses and know when I need to speak up and ask questions to keep a friendship or relationship from crumbling.
It’s also critical to understand that we all don’t speak the same language when it comes to things like love and respect. Take a day like Valentine’s Day for example. You may be hoping or expecting your significant other to do something grand or even something small that will mean a lot to you. But if you don’t communicate what you’re hoping for — whether it’s simply dinner and a movie or some grand gesture — how can you expect them to meet your expectations? Your significant other may think you want roses or jewelry when all you really want is to spend quality time together. That needs to be communicated or you’ll end up disappointed.
None of us are actual mind readers as much as we wish we were. We need to be able to communicate with one another. We can’t let it become a lost art or else we’re going to end up moping around, wondering how and why it all went wrong.
It goes far beyond our personal relationships, too. So many politicians are so focused on being right or wrong and end up dividing the population when we are far better off united. Communication flaws trickle down into business as well and create volatile situations and reduce the capability to be effective.
To some degree technology has played a role in so many regressing in how to communicate. From a young age now so many people are glued to their smart devices or television screens and fail to truly develop communication skills. Even older generations stay glued to their technology and would rather send a text than have a conversation in person. Sure, it may be simpler and more convenient, but it doesn’t help us.
We need to take it upon ourselves to work on becoming better at communicating at one another because at the end of the day, all we have is each other.
Joshua Campbell is sports editor of The Columbian-Progress. Reach him via email at joshuacampbell@columbianprogress.com.
