[New-imc] talking on the phone

[Jay]

Ah, of course talking on the phone isn't always (or usually) the best thing. 
Certainly not the cheapest, and if there are language differences, darned near
impossible.  I'm just saying that in the grand scope of our thought about the
network, we should make an effort to actively remember how important and
enjoyable real personal connections are, and to try to emphasize them when
possible, especially when hearing someone's voice will be help us work through
a communication problem that seems to get worse over e-mail.  I was just
realizing how, in all my relying so heavily on e-mail, that was something I
tend to forget, and wanted to share those warm, happy thoughts, with everyone
here.  No proposal for anything, not even a real suggestion, just something
that I was thinking, and something that has become increasingly important to me
of late.

With respect for all ways to communicate, 

Jay

At 05:21 PM 03/07/2002 +0100, Bart wrote:
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Jay" <jay at tao.ca>
>To: <new-imc at indymedia.org>
>Sent: Thursday, March 07, 2002 10:24 AM
>Subject: [New-imc] talking on the phone
>
>
>> Hi everyone,
>>
>> I know this is going to sound stupid and simplistic, but I've been
>thinking
>> a lot about the miscommunication that happens regularly in the imc
>network,
>> especially in regard to new IMCs coming into Indymedia, and about ways to
>> clear it up.  I've realized lately how easy it is to forget that there
>> exists such a wonderful invention as the telephone.  Can you imagine -- in
>> the past people actually talked to each other by voice, connecting "in
>> person," rather than just shooting e-mails at each other?  I know, I know,
>> it sounds crazy, but some of these telephone things still exist, and I
>> actually think they're pretty functional.  I have seen many a confusing
>and
>> frustrating e-mail discussion turn ugly due, at least in great part, to
>the
>> fact that e-mail can be a pretty awful way to communicate.  People so
>> easily get frustrated with each other while reading e-mails, misunderstand
>> nuances, don't appreciate jokes, or even -- heavens forbid! -- forget to
>> make any.  I've been overwhelmed by the tremendous amount of cameraderie
>> that exists between Indymedia people when we're all in the same physical
>> space, working together to accomplish the impossible.  Put those same
>> people in an e-mail discussion though, and sometimes you'll find each of
>> them writing as "loudly" as they can, not taking the time to really try to
>> understand what the other is saying.
>>
>> I'm writing this not to wax nostalgic about the past, nor to blast e-mail
>> as a form of communication (without which none of us would be here).  I'm
>> just saying that we've had a bunch of miscommuncation lately that may not
>> have happened, at least in the same way, if people (myself included) had
>> connected at some point on the telephone.  Now that we have started to do
>a
>> better job of regionalizing our new-imc communication, perhaps we can use
>> that decentralization to our advantage by more easily reaching out to
>> aspiring IMCs, preferably face to face but, when that's improbable, on the
>> phone, especially toward the initial stages of our communication.  I know
>> that may be very impractical and essentially impossible in many places
>> around the world, and I'm not saying we should try to replace the work we
>> do here with phone chats, I'm just saying that at any point if we start to
>> have miscommunication, when a phone call may help avoid problems or bridge
>> a gap, we shouldn't forget that's an option.  If the time has come for an
>> essential phone call or two, especially ones that would be made in order
>to
>> solve some communication problem, and the only obstacle to your reaching
>> out in that way is lack of funds, let me know and, within reason of
>course,
>> I'd be happy to put my money where my mouth -- er, my keyboard -- is to
>> help make it happen.
>
>Jay,
>
>while this may work in Us where phoning is quite cheap (as I heard) and
>where the most people speak english.
>Here in Europ, with the 4 big languages (french, english, spanish, german)
>you can only talk to people's native language in rather a small part of
>Europe.
>If you have to look for each word, phoning is rather a hell and damn
>expensive overhere anyway.
>
>Bart
>(btw: i hate phoning)
>---
>Q: Happiness ? A: I don't understand the question (interview with
>guitar-fucker)
>http://thepits.be - http://indymedia.be
>icq: #48682266
>
>> Just a late night thought from a late night kinda guy,
>>
>> Jay
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> New-imc mailing list
>> New-imc at lists.indymedia.org
>> http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/new-imc
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