When I was young, I remember watching science fiction television shows and movies that predicted the invention of the video phone and I’ll admit, I thought it was a cool idea. The ability to be able to hear and see someone from a far away distance as if they were actually in front of you is quite intriguing, but at what point does it lose its appeal? With the emergence of Skype and the evolution of the iPhone that now includes a video chat feature called Face Time, it seems more than ever that our society likes the idea of video chatting, but why?
While video chatting can be very helpful for corporations trying to hold meetings in different locations or for keeping loved ones in touch, I feel that their day-to-day use is kind of excessive. Given our societies obsession with image, it seems only natural that people would want to see the person they are speaking with, but I personally find it annoying.
Here are a few reasons that I think that video chatting doesn’t work…
1) It is limiting – When I speak on the phone, I like to be able to lie down, walk around, travel between classes, etc. While iPhones will allow you to do this, most of the time video chatting restricts you in this area leaving long, exhausting conversations with your great grandmother Sally even more unbearable.
2) It is awkward – Awkward silences in a phone conversation are bad enough, now try looking at the person as you scramble for something meaningful to say. My suggestion? Just try the old “wait a second I need to grab something out of the other room” and roll your chair out of the direction of the camera and into safety.
3) It forces people to be more accountable for what they look like – While I am a male and therefore don’t have this problem, a female invited to video chat with a friend may be suddenly feel the need to touch up her makeup among other things. I am not saying that all will feel the need to do this, but with our society’s obsession with image, this may occur.
Overall, while I do sometimes enjoy the benefits of video chatting, I usually prefer the good old telephone and while I do see why humans with access to this technology would want to video chat, I do wonder for how long people will be amused by this activity before it suddenly grows old.
You bring up some pretty interesting points about video chatting, but I honestly think that the technology is here to stay. From personal experience, while I do not video chat all the time, it is nice to be able to see the faces of people that you only see very occasionally due to distances or time commitments. I could talk to my friend that is on a naval destroyer in the Persian Gulf and still have the same conversations and facial emotions that I would say he were within a couple feet. Video chatting can be awkward, but it offers an alternative to the phone, which I find relatively bland and boring as I rely a lot on facial expressions when I speak. Because it allows for you to have face-to-face interactions with loved ones or simple acquaintances, I find it very difficult to believe that people will tire of this communication technology based on the benefits it brings.
ReplyDeleteI still prefer phone calls to video chatting for the most part. However with the advent of new communication technologies I don't think we need to worry about one supplanting another. Text messaging hasn't replaced phone calls, nor has email, but as new communication methods are invented, I think each one is better able to find its niche. Although snail mail volume has declined over the years, it still serves a purpose for specific needs. Video chatting is a great technology, but it's not likely to replace all current communication methods. Still, I'm glad we have it. I was able to see my family last summer despite me being halfway around the world in Beijing.
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