To preface this: I see the value in all forms of communication.

Social Media has made the world smaller and increases the reach of one’s voice (i.e. this blog and website). However, the way social media is used is out of control and has been for a while. The phone conversation is viewed as dated and archaic. The handwritten note is Jurassic at this point.  I’m taking the time now to rank each of the forms of communication I use.

1. Smoke Signal – this is a huge one, a game-changer.  I always utilize whenever I’m in the plains states

2. Social Media – In a way this is anti-social media (pardon the hackiness here). People have forgotten have to converse and work through their issues. Log-in to Facebook right now and count how many vague and thinly veiled digs are on your timeline.  Personally, I’ve been in relationships and out of them via Facebook (seriously, Facebook official – Grow up). There is a need for it, clearly, it’s a multimedia platform and it casts the widest net but its user are poorly utilizing it.

3. Skype –  this is a better phone call. It’s better, obviously, because the callers are able to see one another. The callers can connect on multiple senses as opposed just the one from a telephone call. There is an air of importance here as with a traditional call.

4. Telephone – this is a tried & true staple for communication. There is an air of importance and, in these days, confusion here.  “Why are you calling me? You could have texted me.” As the master of the 2-minute call, it’s arduous for me to maintain a call ( ironically, I’m a conversationalist and a podcaster). I don’t perform well with awkward silence.

5. Text/Chat – this is overused. Needed but just overused to the extent that people communicate and write in netiquette.  However, there’s nothing better than receiving a dirty MMS. Shouts out the text pervs and the dames with lower inhibitions.

6. Handwritten note – What happened to this? It was such a novel idea but now it appears to be too formal and dated. However, this goes hand and hand with actually speaking to someone. It’s the sender’s essence (poor handwriting, grammar) being sent without the technological filters of texting. I’ve written handwritten notes and they’ve only been for people I am totally enamored with. They take time and thought. Sometimes a text doesn’t do it – as it’s an instantaneous medium and curse auto-correct (I said “I love you” not “I lube you” – now I’m explaining why I’m not buying Astroglide instead of reveling in that sentiment)

I hope you learned something that you’ll apply. Send a handwritten note and call that person instead of posting vague Instagram pictures

Rob Lee