Back to communicating for real

Photo by Rishabh Malhotra on Unsplash

Who doesn’t yearn for the good old days when life was simpler and different to what it is today.

That’s if you happen to be a child of the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s or even pre-World War 2.  

As a 70’s child and the son of post war immigrants, the hardships endured by my parents to forge a better life, where my experiences became the bedrock of my character wasfoundational to who and what I am now, as it is with many others.  

Challenge ‘then’, meant something entirely different to what it means ‘now’.

The son of an immigrant who migrated to Australia because of the kindness and warmth Australian soldiers showed him and other young village boys scouring military bases in WW2 occupied Lebanon, was the reason Australia became his new home.

And I’m thankful for the lessons his recollections taught me about kindness and spirit, but also for the choice he made for a new beginning.  

His decision wasn’t based on a hope or prayer, it was because of connection and admiration.

I couldn’t imagine growing up or being a national of another country.  

Being Australian affords you a unique perspective on life and what being an Aussie means.  

As a nation we have endured hardships and struggles many other countries haven’t - then again, ours is a perspective no different to what other countries perceive their uniqueness of hardship to be.

It’s the nuances of history and the interpretation of challenge that formulate our perspectives which makes them all that more fascinating.

​The ANZACS proved that in every theatre of war – they’ve flown Australia’s flag with enormous pride and humility.

We are a nation revered for our vibrancy and nature of spirit, and that has been the hallmark of Australians and Australia since Federation, which has endeared us to all cultures.  

We are what other countries would like to be.  

Our selfless welcoming spirit, ability to laugh when mired in adversity is a brand no other country possesses - it’s brand Australia.

However, the world has always seen the US as the ‘land of the brave and free’, but it is Australia, a nation of convict stock and immigrants who fought to be free of the rule of the Empire and all its tyranny.

It’s why and how we value freedom and provide it more than any other country.

If my father, a corner store shopkeeper, or Milk Bar owner as Australians better knew them as, were alive today, he’d recount with pride those extraordinary men in khaki shorts and slouch hats.  

According to him, it was Australian soldiers who fed young starving and homeless Lebanese boys and their families desperate for food as they scoured the bases of the occupied forces.

War does no favours for the occupied and less for its inhabitants.  Impoverished boys knew nothing else but to steal and beg for food to survive.

“The Germans and English would do nothing to help, and French soldiers would beat you if they caught you trying to steal food.”

“Australians, however, were angels in slouch hats,” he fondly described them as.

“They were kind, caring compassionate men who’d feed you, they wouldn’t let you starve.”  

“These were real men. Men who only new good.  Men of integrity - soldiers of compassion.”

Life then and throughout the 70’s, 80’s and even the early 90’s were different times - times when life was simpler, less complicated in our existence and more engaging.

They were times when interaction and engagement produced meaningful relationships and friendships.

Where strength of character was built through resilience to the ups and downs endured - accepting challenges and thriving from the successes and what it meant to achieve, rather than being rewarded for merely ‘turning up’.  

High School and sport were integral in our development. School then from what it is now, was a cauldron of battle forall children of all nationalities.

We were developing teenage boys and girls of migrant families – first generation Australians with so much to prove,and sport and school was our stage, and communication played an enormous part.

For some, and those not born in Australia and English their second language, we had to learn how to communicate and with them, and we had to learn how to do it effectively.

Contrast growing up as a child in the 70’s to today, where technology has been the driving force in the creation of a major societal paradigm shift - children are now immersed into a different world with new and more interesting frontiers. 

In today’s world of rapidly evolving technology, tech as fascinating as it is, where advancement on so many levels has opened the doors to realms 40 years ago unimaginable, is also failing us.

Not in what it is offering but what has been taken away - stolen from us incrementally without realising the theft taking place - that is up until now.  

That theft has now become an awakening.

Technology has allowed us to communicate in ways through different means, either by design or unwitting intent, a vortex has been created where we have also disappeared into.  

Our voices are being heard in ways never heard before or not heard.  

And as odd as it sounds, the traditional means by which we communicate is prehistoric by today’s standards.  

Who would have thought phoning someone and have them answer would require Merlin’s powers to make it happen.

It’s an almost impossible a task to do and here’s why.  

Since 2012, there’s been a slow deterioration, let me rephrase that, a deliberate shift to communicate in any other means than verbally.  

From the internet to email, social media to voicemail and text messaging, as much as they’ve been revolutionary, they’ve also proven socially destructive .

The internet’s a powerful and exciting medium, but it’s also a poison chalice.

And while it’s perverse and pervasive and lends itself to an interesting evil, it also allows the world to flourish in ways with greater possibilities.

For all its shortcomings, you’d rather have it than not.

The evolution of technology and communications has not only been extraordinary but facilitated a degradation in society, work ethics and our desire to engage.

As much as it’s been a wonder it’s also manifested laziness at work as well as children who don’t know how to communicate in the traditional way.  

But it’s the laziness at work, which is most intriguing.  

Children of the millennium are born into a world where they communicate in ways we didn’t.

It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t encourage them to be more socially engaged, as opposed to just texting or messaging.

But what has been noticeable is a trending level of slackness - professionals professional at pretending to work and mastering the art of doing nothing, or hiding behind voice mail or email that’s fascinatingly intriguing.  

It’s not about being a technological luddite or anti advancement. It’s about expectation and hope - hoping when you call someone, they don’t let it divert to voicemail.  

Phones are meant to be answered, and not to have to hear recorded voicemail messages say, “I rarely answer this phone, if you want to contact me, send me a text message and I’ll get back to you at my earliest convenience.”

Professionally it’s a cop out.

It gives people an excuse to choose when and who they want to talk to or when to work - it encourages laziness, and for others, it manifests a false sense of importance.

Employers should expect all employees they provide phones with, that they answer all calls.  

Businesses grow and thrive because of opportunity created.

However, modern thinking dictates a new way of communicating and when opportunity comes ringing answer the call or risk losing it.

I know as a journalist having worked in newsrooms, if an incoming call wasn’t answered and you were closest to the phone, the expectation of crucifixion by your editor wasn’t unreasonable.

Why?  Because you never knew what story maybe coming down the line, the exclusiveness of it or who was ringing.

Networks, breaking stories, deals, sealing them, making sales or whatever it maybe depends on communication and understanding the tool we have in our hands is for more than posting on social media - they’re there to communicate with not hide behind.  

Many people find it difficult to socially interact, but it’s not an excuse for professional seclusion.  

The time has come to start answering the phone again and engaging.  

We don’t want to run the risk of losing that art forever, although it seems we’re well in the way to doing that.  

Oh, how we should all yearn the good old days.