Writer's Journal #18

A communication modality that I use on a regular basis is text messaging. When someone contacts me, I typically read the message and try to decipher what the purpose of their message was through their words. Sometimes it is easier to decipher when the person asks questions because the purpose would generally just answer that question. Here is a conversation my friend and I might normally have over text:

My friend: What’s your address?

Me: 8594 Lochmoor St Novi, MI 48232

My Friend: I’m going to be a little late, more like 4:50pm.

In this conversation, you can see that the purpose of my friend’s message was to figure out where I live so that she could be able to drive to my house but there is also a second purpose in her second text. She wanted to let me know that she would be late so that I do not have to worry if she was not there at 4:30pm. What my friend actually says is not the purpose of her messages. She never stated her actual purpose but with reasoning and inferring, we are able to figure out the purpose of her text message. My purpose was to give her my address so that she could come over easily and know where I lived. My purpose was never stated either in the text messages but because of what my friend said and my reply and her next message, we can figure out that I was giving her my address so that she would be able to come to my address.

I think that because I was able to see the audience, it made analyzing what the purpose was a lot easier. In the text situation, the audience was myself. Knowing this, we can limit some of the many other purposes it could have been. The other aspect is the timing. My friend sent the message that she was running late after we can already distinguished that she was coming over. The order of the messages matter and the details. This is how Kairos comes into play. Without Kairos, we not figure out for sure what is happening or what the purpose of the messages are whosoever. Looking at all these elements does change my thinking a little. It really helps me focus on why I am going to be messaging my friend and what the purpose behind it is.

It is a little complicated because of the digital age we live in. We never stop texting our friends and family. There is still a purpose in all of it but the purpose becomes more complex. The digital communicating has evolved so much. Therefore, communication has as well. Some of my friends text me just because they are bored while some only text when they have a very particular purpose.