Communication Itch
Today I decide to write, funny in a way since I learned to write more than 4 decades ago. But that was what I was asked to write or as expected of me as a student or as an employee. Today I write what are my views, expression, and thoughts through the medium of the written script. It is about jotting down the ideas that breeze through your mind when it is not occupied by the challenges of the daily routine. Although the ability to write is not new, everyone is capable of interpreting and articulating his thoughts in a different manner. The English language has only 26 alphabets but the permutation and combination of them result in about half a million words as per Merriam-Webster dictionary. We have 6500 languages in our world with more than 700 dialects in India itself. Just imagine the amount of effort taken by the man to communicate his ideas to others; and we are only referring to a language as a medium. Try and appreciate the strong desire of humans to reach out to others. No wonder man is called a social animal.
The physiological ability to write is not of recent origin, it is in existence since the stone ages when man inscribed images and symbols on the stone walls of the caves. He was a hunter-gatherer at that time but still, he felt the urge to share his experiences with the next generations. This is an instinct that has contributed to the evolution of Man as we know him today. The wall inscriptions depict his desire to record his findings for the coming generations long after he was dead. Documentation is a very ancient trait, Microsoft Word came much later.
Humans are gifted with 5 senses — The ability to See, Hear, Smell, Taste, and Touch. Strangely the ability to speak is not counted as a primary sense but it is most profound. It is through Speech that we can share our experiences, feelings, and thoughts. The power of Speech is an output device that proclaims to the world what the brain has processed based on the inputs received by the 5 senses. Speaking is a collaborative effort of the vocal cords and the tongue. Try to speak holding your tongue and you realize its importance in talking. ‘Mind your tongue’, is an oft-repeated maxim.
The other media of expression are Singing, Music, Dance, Painting, Sculpture, Prose, and Poetry. The art of writing gives permanence to the spoken word. Since ancient times, Man has always strived to communicate and pass on its learning and knowledge to the next generation. The electronic media and the Internet have truly democratized the society where free expression of thought has reached the masses which was within the ambit of the chosen few.
A painting or a sculpture can also convey the same feelings, but it has its intrinsic limitations; only a genius can transpose the real thoughts as the outcome is a static visual medium. Dance on the other hand is more expressive due to its dynamic nature. The movement of the limbs, facial expressions, and gestures of the eyes can convey better the feelings of the exponent. Till around 100 years ago, Music and Dance as a tool of expression had practical limitations. The song, music, or dance performance could be repeated only by the performer but with advancing age and death it was lost for eternity. Today we do not know how Tansen sang or Amrapali performed but modern advances in science have helped us to preserve the masterpieces of the last 100 years for posterity; I can listen to K L Saigal.
Most of the modern gadgets are nothing but communication devices that are an extension of our sensory organs; be it the Television, Computer, Camera, Phone, etc. Man creates these devices to share his experiences, knowledge, and feelings with others.
The art of speech is most effective and compelling. A good orator through the power of his speech and conviction can move mountains by influencing millions with the right choice of words and voice modulation. No wonder all the great mass leaders and social reformers were excellent orators. Mass political and social revolutions were led by Men who mastered this art, the clarion call given by them still gives goosebumps. Swami Vivekanand — Sisters and Brothers of America, Lokmanya Tilak — Swaraj is my Birthright, Mahatma Gandhi — Do or Die, Martin Luther King Jr. — I have a Dream, the list is endless. The pen is truly mightier than the sword.
The human desire to communicate has changed the course of mankind and gave birth to businesses worth billions of dollars. This fact of life has propelled me too to take out my writing instrument and put ink on paper. The future will decide if it leads to any social, political, or financial change.
