COMM 601 - Short Paper 1

When I was born in 2002, communication looked very different than it does today. In a world connected through cell phones, social media, and unlimited talk and text, it can be difficult to imagine what communication looked like in 2002. Through archival research and first-hand accounts, the purpose of this paper is to highlight key components of the communication environment in 2002, as well as identify how these aspects have evolved to shape our communication world today.

2002 brought along numerous technological advancements that served as early blueprints for how we communicate today, such as the first ever camera phone and the introduction of the iMac G4. Similar to today’s world, “85 to 96 % of young people own a cell phone” (Kuntsche et al., 2009), but calls were by the minute, which made landlines the most prominent form of communication via phone. However, despite the landline being the preferred method of communication, the commodity of cell phones undoubtedly led to the digital era we live in today. In 2002, “communication by means of SMS has become very popular, particularly among young people” (Kuntsche et al., 2009), reflecting a major shift towards texting that is apparent in today’s communication world. At the time, “some argue the cell phone will subsume all other forms of communication––email, phone calls, and the web which will be accessible to the population by the “universal handheld” (Aoki et al., 2003). Additionally, online social media platforms, primarily Friendster, had a “profound effect on the way people work, the opportunities they have, and the structure of their daily life” (Donath et al., 2004). Friendster served as an early framework for social media platforms going forward, such as Facebook and MySpace, and kicked off a new era in online communication.

One of the prominent topics of discussion in 2002 was public safety. Following the events of 9/11, airport security was going through a major reform, implementing stricter policies on baggage and increasing personnel at security checkpoints. Not even a week after 9/11, Americans all over the country were receiving anthrax-ridden mail, leading to the deaths of countless American citizens and sending the country into even deeper of a collective paranoia. I believe these events drastically shaped the communication world of 2002, serving as a primary purpose for communities to communicate and band together in order to remain vigilant. In the D.C. area where I grew up, communities came together online to share safety tips in the midst of the D.C. sniper attacks, urging people to be selective about where they pump gas based on the pumps’ alignment relative to the street. The D.C. snipers had quite the chokehold on my area, as “people were running across parking lots in zig-zags, and they were afraid to go out in public” (Chuang, 2012).

I believe this fearful nature of American society at the time had a significant impact on the preference of communication mediums. While physical mail was still a popular method of long-distance communication, the Anthrax terror made people wary of receiving mail through post offices. This may have been what sparked a shift to online and SMS communication, as it was safer to email or text somebody than it was to open your mailbox. With all of the terror happening at the time, it could be argued that the rise of communication technologies in 2002 was attributed to the collective need for unity and togetherness. People were scared, people were angry, and people had opinions, all of which could be shared instantaneously through online forums and community sites. Relating to our readings, these negative events gave people “an appreciation of features initially outside of our perceptions,” turning people towards new and budding digital communication mediums in order to foster “newfound connections in those who care to help” (Beck & Socha, 2015).

Although, as a newborn child, these events made very little impact on my immediate communication world. My parents weren’t the type to stray away from talking about the realities of our world, but I wouldn’t come to understand the full gravity of these events until much later in my life. My mom credits my grandmother for how I began to communicate, as with two first-time parents working full-time jobs, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents. My grandmother would sit me down at the kitchen table or by the window and have full conversations with me, as if she was communicating with an adult. She stressed this kind of communication to my mother, urging her to keep ‘baby talk’ to a minimum. When learning this, I realized that this was my grandmother’s way of developing my language skills, as it is one of the “critical verbal elements of positive cognitive development that are key to entering the social community and to academic and career success” (Lerner, 7). Naturally, my parents and grandparents had rules that I had to learn and follow, but they were often very inclusive with me regarding adult conversations. As an only child, I was never “sent to go play” while my parents talked. Instead, I was included in most conversations, even though I couldn’t communicate with them. I believe that being present for these conversations had a significant impact on my ability to understand conversation and communicate effectively from a young age, as I began speaking around nine months old. Relating to the family communication patterns readings, I would say that my immediate communication world was high conversation and moderate conformity.

Although, it wasn’t just listening to my family members talking that had an impact on my cognitive development as a child. In 2002, FM radio was a major communication medium that still has a place in today’s communication world, despite the introduction of XM radio, Bluetooth technology, and streaming services. Because I was frequently in the car with one of my parents on my way to my grandparents’ house, I was often exposed to various FM radio stations. While my mother listened to a plethora of stations or had curated cassette tapes with her favorite music, my father almost exclusively listened to DC 101.1, his favorite local radio station that he had listened to for decades. Because he would take me to my grandparents’ house on his way to work in the mornings, I often listened to DC 101’s morning talk show, Elliot in the Morning, led by charismatic and talkative host Elliot Segal. The segment – which is still around today – featured Elliot talking to listeners that called in, sparking conversations about various topics, such as local news, celebrity gossip, sports teams, etc. I believe listening to Elliot in the Morning almost every day as an infant had a positive impact on my cognitive development, as “radio, lacking visual imagery, leaves more to the imagination: it allows the listener to construct his or her own mental images, which can then be expressed verbally or visually” (Greenfield et al., 2006). It may have also allowed me to recognize and retain various verbal cues, as tones and attitudes often shifted with each topic.

The world was very different in 2002, but drastically shaped how I communicate with others and navigate communication mediums today. Being born into a world that is more connected and social than ever before presented a myriad of opportunities for me to develop my ability to communicate, especially as the mediums grew and evolved alongside me. While it may have been a year that was shrouded in terror and fear, I believe that 2002 was the beginning of a major shift in human communication and connection, reinforcing the need for community and connection in the wake of tragedy while sparking a newfound appreciation for the development and usage of digital communication mediums. In my immediate communication world, I consider myself very fortunate to have had family members that were committed to my early development. Considering that I was raised in the optimal family communication model (high conversation, moderate conformity), I feel that, even though I don’t remember anything from my birthyear, my family’s contibutions to my cognitive development makes me who I am today.