It's no secret that my colleague opposite and I have different opinions about politics. Some of our contrasting beliefs, however, might be attributed to our difference in age (and no, that's not my clever way of calling him an old man).
I happen to think that his generation is a little slow at adopting new communication technologies.
This past week, I Skyped with my cousin in England, I Google chatted with my friend in India, I Yahoo! messaged with my co-workers in Toronto, I FaceTimed with my nephew in Coquitlam, sent dozens of text messages and exchanged emails with more than 200 people all around the world. And I did most of that using my smartphone.
By contrast, my colleague has trouble operating his regular old cellphone.
I know he yearns for the days of yore where folks penned letters and sent them by snail mail. He longs for the day we had to pick up a telephone and had coffee meetings. He suggests that all these new technologies hamper "real" communications.
I think he's wrong: Technology enhances communication.
Yes, I get annoyed by people who have their eyes glued to their smartphones at dinner parties. For most of us, however, our smartphones and their accompanying technologies are an appropriate tool for both business and pleasure.
I work for a large company in Toronto but, because of technologies like Messenger and Skype, I can work from the comfort of my own home in Coquitlam. I'm always connected to the office and as a journalist, that's very handy. And if I need a break, I can always turn my phone off.
And I don't think "meaningful relationships" are exclusive to face-to-face meetings anymore. I can now communicate - both visibly and audibly - with friends and family at little or no cost. I'm able to maintain friendships with people around the world, people with whom I would otherwise have lost contact.
Heck, people even find love through these technologies - apparently 20% of current committed relationships began on the Internet.
Yes, face-to-face meetings are great but there are now other means to communicate.
Don't worry, Jim: I'll still meet you in person for a coffee.
And I'll text you about when and where.
