People have always striven for communication – they need to share something, to express their opinion, to listen to others and to be listened to. But what special features does the nature of communication of the present generation have?
Social psychologists all over the world share the same opinion that there are three main tendencies in communication of our contemporaries. The first one is the following: mass, technical, mediated forms of communication (radio, television, motion pictures) are developing to the detriment of personal contacts. The second tendency is viewed as the prevalence of informative utility over feelings in conversations, and not only in business talk. This causes emotional deficiency. Finally, the circle of acquaintance is expanding and that weakens the solidity of human relations, makes them unstable and more superficial form the psychological view.
This point is backed up by Professor I.K. Anyway, he is not very keen on dramatizing the situation and thinks this problem sprang long ago. Even Plato lamented: writing kills wisdom (just like nowadays we say that small screen doesn’t let us say a single word). On the other hand, the situation is intrinsic to our capitalist society which is based on the "make use – throw away” principle. Hence, scientists are worried about fragility of modern contacts. This is where that tragedy of human estrangement is rooted.
However, a lot of problems fall to our share as well. For example, we are face to face with the direct consequences of the scientific and technological revolution. "Progress intensifies human psychic activity both at work and at home. If emotional responsiveness remained the same, that is, we preserved the ability of immediate emotional response, this would have led to strong stresses”, Professor B.P. says.
I think you've exaggerated things a bit. We are not callous creatures keen on getting information. To my mind the point is that we just take various social roles.
One’s reaction to the flow of information is emotional inhibition, stereotyped perception and reactions. According to Professor P., this process is natural within certain boundaries, outside of which acute contradictions occur. The mechanism of inhibiting emotions, being advisable in business relations, turns out to be very bulky – it can’t be switched off easily. For example, when one comes home from work, one meets one’s close relatives and wants to uncork one’s tensions, to snap out of them, to relax. But suddenly one understands that… the inhibiting inertia is too big. But is it really a trouble? Maybe, a modern man should be reserved and openheartedness is not treasured? No, no, no!!! And this is, according to Professor P., the second contradiction of the epoch of the scientific and technological revolution. Is the function of the progress to “stuff” one with knowledge? No! It makes one’s perception more acute, more emotional. It’s natural that here the need to express one’s real self raises. And this intention has to withstand the capsulation of feelings. On the one hand – one’s need to be understood in all complexities of its individuality, on the other hand – the habit of speaking only about affairs, without uncorking one’s feelings.
