What is connectivity?
- Why is connectivity so important today?
- How will communication technology evolve in the future?
- What technology or types of communication do you use to connect with others?
Connectivity is important because it is foundational to human attachment, conversation, and relationships. Connectivity is vital to our health, communication, and collective wellbeing. We have been stripped of our ability as communities, societies, and a planetary economy to connect by traditional means. The global pandemic has redefined how we, as a human race, can connect in meaningful and impactful, yet safe, ways.
Communication technology is constantly evolving. As the world population grows, natural resources shrink, exploration expands, and the thirst for knowledge continues our reliance on state-of-the-art communication keeps compounding. There is no corner of the earth, perhaps even the galaxy, untouched by dependence on communication. We rely on the ability to share information to keep our economy, commerce, healthcare, education, politics, and global infrastructure functioning. The impact this, or lack thereof, has on human prosperity is astounding. I believe that communication will become integrated, ingrained, touchless, effortless, and most certainly fundamental to our ability to perform into the future. Within this we will be increasingly more connected with minimal effort on the individual level. However, I hope we gain and maintain culturally sensitive and diversely aware communication technology. Without attention to the details, we will certainly loose the individualism that we all value so substantially.
I used to consider myself a device minimalist. Now I would say that is a false sense of minimalism. While I am not a gamer or social media butterfly, I do constantly communicate with others over an infinite number of devices and platforms. I use an iPhone, which contains many different apps, all of which I rely on to meet my needs. I use a laptop, which contains apps, links, files, drives and other forms of networking, mostly for my job. I use a social media platform, where I share my life with people whom I am vaguely connected to. I stream movies, shows, educational lectures, music, and other various forms of entertainment. The technology I use is extensive and dare I say, a bit intrusive. I am dependent on all of it to function and keep my life organized. My face to face communication interactions have dramatically decreased. I would be lying if I said that I had written an actual letter to anyone in the last 5 years. Mostly my communication devices consist of emails, text messages, posts, likes, comments, reviews, and the occasional phone call, zoom meeting, or Facetime check in.
