Good Manners Be Damned?

Image via Wikipedia

As I get ready for Spring Break (THANK GOD), I've had to get in touch with a relative in Florida whom I'm visiting for a few days. While calling her on the phone would certainly be more personal and much more my style, I've resorteded to using the Internet as my primary means of communication. It's convenient, yes, but kind of tacky. I can send her my itinerary and plans, but when I thank her for letting me crash at her house, it doesn't really seem really heartfelt. And trust me, after the past few lousy weeks, the opportunity to be anywhere outside of College Park has made me especially thankful.

Against everything I stand for, or want to stand for, I've compromised quality for convenience-- something most people do in these modern days. Many modern technologies embrace this compromise-- and rightfully so in the busy world we live in. Such technologies as the Internet allow for immediate sharing of information, which is key, especially my last-minute attempt to make plans for vacation.

But as we embrace this convenience, we turn our backs on each other. Instead of easily interacting with each other, which the Internet is supposed to encourage, we hide behind the words we write on a computer screen. I don't suggest using the mail as a more personal means of communication-- God knows the USPS does not understand the concept of haste-- but why not embrace an older technology, the telephone.

The power of the human voice is remarkable. Inflections, pauses, and connotations reveal so much more than the emoticons on your computer. In my case, a phone call would really reveal how much I appreciate the opportunity to get out of College Park and on to the beaches of Florida.

It's a little late for me to pick up the phone now, but I think next time I will reach for my cell before heading to the computer. Besides, I can make up for my lacking manners with a personal note and some fresh flowers.