Video Chatting is transforming traditional communication among families by expanding borders beyond the property lines of the home.
Although it is a well known principle that the universe as a whole is “expanding at an increasing rate”, I am comfortable claiming the opposite for our world: the world we live in is contracting at an increasing rate; due mostly to the speed of transferring information and our increasing capabilities to communicate.
The reason I say this, is because of the rapid advances in technologies which connect the distant corners of our globe within seconds. Chief among them is the all powerful video chat.
A NY Times article outlines how video chatting itself is allowing families to stay connected and together, even when they are far apart, and SheBytes would like to look at this from a technological and soulful standpoint.
Software like FaceTime (the logo above), Google Chat and of course Skype, enable us to have the experience of actually being with the person we are video conferencing with, even when this is logically impossible. The fact that all three of these words have for all intents and purposes become verbs; “Skype me”, highlights that they are all really saying the same thing: “spend some time and talk with me”.
But a question I have is why wasn’t the phone enough?
The answer seems to be that we are an extremely social species and the way we communicate involves literally the whole body. Because things like Skype have “an average of 300 million minutes of…calls made a day”, it is clear that people prefer seeing and interacting with their friends and family via video because it allows them to feel as if they are together with that person.
Because of this, the applications of video chatting have expanded into the workplace, but no more are they more vital than in the family.
This technology keeps families connected because it allows them to have an experience of being with those they love and engaged in a dynamic and real time conversation. Families now use video to share holiday experiences (like opening Christmas presents), and these possibilities allow for greater overall face-to-face family time than ever before.
