Topic Tuesday #126 2014/12/16 - “Mind the Communication Gap”

As you know by now, I am not afraid of hitting uncomfortable topics. This occasionally gets me into awkward situations.

When communicating with other people, there is an ever present issue: the curse of foreknowledge.  You take for granted all the things you know. It seldom occurs to you that the acronym you just used is absolute gibberish to the uninitiated. The work that you did to reach a conclusion that you are now overly comfortable with has slipped your mind, and you naturally presume that everyone else has done the work and come to the same conclusions you have.

This is baloney, of course! But we all do it. It’s part of our psychology. It is an art to navigate the knowledge gaps and sound both intelligent and non-condescending if you do stumble upon a knowledge peer. And the real trick is to do it at the same time, when talking to everyone.

It is easy to fail, especially when dealing with sensitive issues. Even coming to a common ground in conversation to build upon is often wrought with perils. Emotions run hot. Words take on multiple meanings. Imagine unpacking a dead relatives garage with a friend that doesn’t understand that every scrap of garbage is somehow meaningful and is tearing you apart, and it gets worse the further in you dive. A journey fraught with landmines, pitfalls, and mantraps. It takes determination to communicate with someone of a differing point of view.

It is hard, painful, and exhausting.

Sometimes, it isn’t worth it. However… You never know when it will be worth it. So I will continue to spend the energy on unknown hope for communication that transcends the gaps.