High-speed electronic communications media, such as electronic mail and television, tend to prevent meaningful and thoughtful communication.
Do high-speed means of communication, particularly television and computers, tend to prevent meaningful and thoughtful communication, as the speaker suggests? Although ample empirical evidence suggests so with respect to television, the answer is far less dear when it comes to communication via computers.
Few would argue that since its inception broadcast television has greatly enhanced communication to the masses. The circulation of even the most widely read newspapers pales compared to the number of viewers of popular television news programs. Yet traditional television is a one-way communications medium, affording viewers no opportunity to engage those so-called talking heads in dialogue or respond. Of course, there is nothing inherent about television that prevents us from meaningful and thoughtful communication with each other. In fact, in televisions early days it was a fairly common occurrence for a family to gather around the television together for their favorite show, then afterwards discuss among themselves what they had seen and heard. Yet over time television has proven itself to serve primarily as a baby-sitter for busy parents, and as an means of escape for those who wish to avoid communicating with the people around them. Moreover, in the pursuit of profit, network executives have determined over time that the most effective uses of the medium are for fast-paced entertainment and advertising--whose messages are neither thoughtful nor meaningful.
Do computers offer greater promise for thoughtful and reflective communication than television? Emphatically, yes. After all, media such as email and the Web are interactive by design. And the opportunity for two-way communication enhances the chances of meaningful and thoughtful communication. Yet their potential begs the question: Do these media in fact serve those ends? It is tempting to hasten that the answer is yes with respect to email; after are, weve all heard stories about how email has facilitated reunions of families and old friends, and new long-distance friendships and romances. Moreover, it would seem that two-way written communication requires far more thought and reflection than verbal conversation. Nevertheless, email is often used to avoid face-to-face encounters, and in practice is used as a means of distributing quick memos. Thus on balance it appears that email serves as an impediment, not an aide, to thoughtful and reflective communication.
With respect to Web-based communication, the myriad of educational sites, interactive and otherwise, is strong evidence that the Web tends to enhance, rather than prevent, meaningful communication. Distance learning courses made possible by the Web lend further credence to this assertion. Nonetheless, by all accounts it appears that the Web will ultimately devolve into a mass medium for entertainment and for e-commerce, just like traditional television. Meaningful personal interactivity is already yielding to advertising, requests for product information, buy-sell orders, and titillating adult-oriented content.
Thus, on balance these high-speed electronic media do indeed tend to prevent rather than facilitate meaningful and thoughtful communication. In the final analysis, any mass medium carries the potential for uplifting us, enlightening us, and helping us to communicate with and understand one another. However, by all accounts, television has not fulfilled that potential; and whether the Web will serve us any better is ultimately up to us as a society.
2009年BEC纸笔考试及报名日期
剑桥商务英语BEC考试引入机考 考点及考次增加
BEC中级听力考试全真样题
2009年5月BEC考试冲刺复习计划表
2010暨南大学剑桥BEC机考3月20日前接受报名
2009年商务英语考试(BEC)报名人数增加3成
2010年全国商务英语考试报考完全指南
2010年春季BEC北京工商大学考点报名须知
BEC计算机考试解疑
09下半年BEC考试具体流程
2010年下半年BEC初级考试写作评分标准
剑桥商务英语VS托业:两大职场英语通行证对比
东北师范大学09年下半年商务英语考试报名
2009年全国国际商务英语考试(二级)考试时间
商务英语bec机考男生成绩好于女生
2010年商务英语bec报名温馨提示
BEC中级写作考试全真样题
商务英语求职看好,报考人数猛增
助力职场竞争 BEC受热捧仅次于IELTS
BEC位列"大学生求职十大最有用证书"第三位
BEC中级口语第一部分样题
怎样才可以报考剑桥商务英语考试
郑州大学2010年剑桥BEC报名考试须知
2010年BEC计算机化考试及截止报名时间
BEC中级真题第四辑主要商务知识考点
09年5月BEC考试成绩开始网上查询
2010年BEC商务英语考试时间安排与一般流程
2010年下半年剑桥BEC初级成绩查询
BEC中级口语考试全真样题
09北外考点BEC在线报名须知
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |