I've been pondering this for a while. I think my description of this topic might be misleading, because I don't mean the human race is losing the ability to communicate totally. What I mean is this: these days, we have so many ways of talking to each other that don't involve face to face or voice to voice contact. How many of us conduct very important conversations thru somewhat impersonal means (like AIM, or email). I know I have before, and it never really bothered me... until I started thinking. Do any of you think that communicating in these ways will negatively affect humanity? Will we reach a point where we are uncomfortable having pivotal conversations with others in person because we rely on other means so often? I know this wouldn't happen overnight, but what about into the future? I'd love to know what everyone thinks, so post one! :D

At current population growths I think we'll be hard pressed not to trip over each other without some kinda acknowledgement.

I think it's becoming rare for people to articulate their thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly and fully. E-mail, IM, and text messaging cultivate language habits of succinctness. I don't believe that this in and of itself is a "bad" thing--this has its use (convenience, speed, efficiency, etc.) However, there are very negative things about it. Such carelessness with language reinforces a kind of carelessness in mentality and in thought, which then in turn can lead to a carelessness in action and behavior.

I plead guilty. The penalty is ... being obnoxious?

I don't quite think that using the internet and other such means to communicate is necessarily making us careless when we do speak in person but I think that the lack of practice in speaking in such personal settings is what is impacting our ability to communicate verbally. Furthermore I question how well we could communicate verbally even without the internet, etc. being in our lives. How quickly do we forget thoughts, how well can we organize our thoughts while listening, etc. I would say that while we are more capable then perhaps any other species on the planet when it comes to verbal communication we by no means are great speakers. In fact I see the internet as being a sort of blessing as we can get back to others at our leisure thus have more time to go over our thoughts so that they come out as really meant.

The internet could very well be impacting our ability to communicate in the way of evolution as those who can communicate verbally best may prefer one another so that there are fewer bumps in their relationship and they can really talk. Their mating could very well lead to those who are better able to communicate where as with the internet and similar devices they may end up with someone who is a horrible speaker.

With science advancing though we may reach a point where genetic tampering is viable thus we no longer need worry much about evolution.

I agree that this is a potential benefit. Unfortunately, I don't think this always is the case. Teachers are seeing a rise in poor grammar and spelling, in part due to the proliferation of e-mail and instant messaging use. Business complain about misunderstandings that arise as e-mails are misconstrued.

It being stated clearly doesn't mean that it would be in a particular kind of language be it standard english, street slang, 1337 SP34K (I don't know how to type the later) or anything else. It just means that they could say it in the method which they have a strong grasp in.

What you are seeing with schools is the evolution of language. It's simply changing and quickly at that. It doesn't change what was my original point for people choose to say things as such. Granted that using one thing more then another tends to make it habit but if one so wishes they could near flawlessly use the less frequent one.

I disagree with this comment. But I don't have any hard data to back it up.

I’d have to say that computers have enhanced my electronic writing/typing skills, only to do some damage to my social skills. I’d rather electronically message someone than speak to them face-to-face. For one, delivery can be poor in more ways in-person. Another is because you have more time to refine your words than if you were speaking immediately in response to someone else. Also, it’s just overall easier to be impersonal. I guess you could consider me somewhat anti-social (but not socially inept) in-person.

I can type in leet, but I prefer not now because it's more mainstream. It kind of ruins the whole point of having a unique language if everyone knows it.

This is leet speak, and it's not really that hard to do.
7h15 15 |337 5p34k, 4nd 17'5 n07 r34||y 7h47 h4rd 70 d0.

Unless you are using the so called True Leet
|_||\||3$$ `/0|_| @|23 |_|$1|\|6 +|-|3 $0 (@||3[) +|2|_|3 |33+

Usually no one replaces all letters, ju5+ 3n0u9h +0 (0nf|_|53 J00.

I've never seen that. That's pretty cool.

Yeah, untill you see it waaaaay too often.

:o I'm shocked.

You have to see this psycholopher: [Leet]