Face to Face

         Why face to face? Might as well ask why even live? From a freshman anthro class I took I learned that something like 80% of what we say to each other is non-verbal, and often we are unaware that we are projecting these hidden voices. To me, this says that there is so much more to human interaction than simply writing/reading and talking/listening that I don't want to miss. Why come to college when you could easily listen to the professor over the phone and submit papers online. Why have a drink with your buddy at his house when you could each sit at your own house with drinks respectively and video chat. 

           I think anyone with half a brain should conclude that there is a huge difference between face-to-face interactions as opposed to using other means of communication. The genuine human interaction is lost in translation. Our first class was incredibly different from every single other class I've had this first week precisely because Dr. Dean was there via URL. Class ended early, there was an initial awkward weirdness a drift in the air that we eventually overcame, but what I realized is that people that are used to direction look for direction. Pretty clever of me to figure that one out I know, but what I mean is that when direction is not there, they could take charge, but they would rather not. Even when students were indeed looking for direction, and received it from the web page, there were still hesitant tendencies sprinkled in to what normally may have been confident voices.

         In closing, think about this: Would you rather meet your future wife for the first time in person, or through the Internet? You will love her the same either way, but which would you chose?