Article by:

Zoe Rein Isobelle J. Florete and John Patrick G. Octavio

---

Today, in a world where communication and media go hand in hand, it is quite hard to determine how people communicated before.

Communication is defined as the process by which people exchange information whereas, media is considered as an instrument of mass communication. Most, if not all, cannot fathom living in a world where cell phone or social media does not exist.

 

 

By this time some advanced civilizations had created the system of writing, the alphabet system and is followed by the discovery of the papyrus which gave birth to the concept of mass media.

 

 

By the next 50 years, we are sure to see many more evolution and advancement in communication and media. We may see people having face to face interactions, this is because by nature humans are social animals, and needs other humans to survive, a driving force of the social nature of humans is through the hormone oxytocin which elicits feelings towards others (Waytz, 2014).

However, face to face interactions will be minimal, this is primarily due to the advancements of technology, as technology experts believe that in the future everything would be assisted by machines and gadgets, through this the interactions will be between man and machine (Floyd, 2018).

 

 

50 years from now, to enhance social interactions, the discovery or creation of a brain-to-brain communication device might be possible, this is through the development of the technology similar to those used to monitor and stimulate brain functions (Maiques, 2016). It will be another era of human communication in which feelings, hues, music or dynamic ideas are imparted. One may even have the capacity to think and convey all in all and open the way to non-verbal communication with different species.

 

50 years from now, mood-communication may be possible. One’s mood which is reflected in the brain’s wave pattern, will affect the surroundings in order for them to get feedback – for example lift one’s mood and shape it in various ways. (Frank, 2012).

 

The future that lies ahead is uncertain, but the future of communication is within our grasp. Its evolution and development is inevitable. Should we take another step forward? Or should we reconsider and take a step back? I guess, we’ll never know. 

---

References

Floyd, C. (2018, March 16). In 50 years we’ll have ‘robot angels’ and will be able to merge our brains with AI, according to technology experts. Retrieved from BusinessInsider: https://www.businessinsider.com/we-asked-6-experts-what-the-world-will-look-like-in-50-years-time-mwc-2018-3

Lambert, T. (2018). A Brief History of Communication. Retrieved from Localhistories: http://www.localhistories.org/communications.html

Smith, L. (2018, February). A Brief History of Communication. Retrieved from Neighboorhood: http://www.neighbourhood.tv/a-brief-history-of-communication/

Taylor, R. (2018, December 31). A Short HIstory of Media. Retrieved from Owlcation: https://owlcation.com/humanities/A-Short-History-of-Media

Waytz, A. (2014). 2014: What Scientific Idea is Ready for retirement. Retrieved from Edge: https://www.edge.org/response-detail/25395

Frank, L. (2012, July 16). Beyond Speech and Gestures. Retrieved from https://thenextweb.com/media/2012/07/15/whats-the-future-of-communication-lets-ask-the-e xperts/

by Francis Gideon Tagnong & Divine Angela Serag

How often do you send out hardcopy postcards today?

Our answers to that question would be an accurate reflection of our current modern time and age. In a timespan of just one decade, communication has evolved more rapidly than our capacity to adapt to it. From growing up with antenna TVs and snail mail, society now stands in the age of satellite dishes and text messaging. Today, very few of us go outside the confines of our own home without our electronic devices. Social media apps allow us to broadcast our moments while we’re actually living them. In this sense, our moments no longer only belong to us but to all the people in touch with our profiles. (Video, 2004)

When people think of the future, they think of robots. In our opinion, robots will merely have relatively small value fifty years from now. There would be no use for humanoid machines when an artificial intelligence system manages your household.  In light of this, our prediction for the future includes the taking over of virtual reality with neurotransmitter devices. Simple tasks such as calling or messaging can be done with just a thought process. No hand gestures, no voice commands – just merely brain signals that manifests a virtual interface.

This prediction stems from the fact that the current technological trends aspire for convenience and hands-free advancements. In basic terms, society’s adaptation aims for wireless connectivity in all aspects of our lives. We are decades away from such technology, but if nanotechnology were to advance in greater heights, it is not a distant reality. Scientists are currently working on technology that uses brain signals to directly communicate with each other, through implants that mirror the concept of telepathy. (Strickland)

The evolution of technology progresses at a rate that our human minds cannot simply comprehend. Every year, an array of new technology is being released. Case in point, it may turn out that our predictions don’t even scratch the surface. Only time will tell.

References:

Strickland, J. (n.d.). What is the future of communication? Retrieved from How Stuff Works: https://electronics.howstuffworks.com

Video, V. (2004, November). Future of Communication. Retrieved from Future For All: https://www.futureforall.org

 

“From primary orality through to our current age, there have been a number of major communication advancements traceable through the tools and technology that have risen.” (Barrow, 2009)

Life has changed dramatically over the past century, and a major reason for this is the progression of media technology. Methods of media and communication have come a long way since the grunts of the early cave men. Before, communication is merely in the form of context, like drawings on the walls of caves, gestures and such. Communication was more personal and a face-to-face contact but now communication and media emerges into a great extent. With society moving into the electronic age, more people are communicating in cyberspace not only to access more information, but also to create a reality of their own.

Revolution in every corner of the virtual world today is occurring. Children of today and tomorrow will likely not remember broadcast, radio, music or any type of information or entertainment being limited to one device, one screen, or one delivery system. The computer may have changed since the 80’s, but communications and media are changing how our world discovers information today.  Media and communication is a rapidly changing and the world’s fastest growing industry. Gone are the days of typewriters, rotary phones and snail mails, phone book and dictionaries. The access to and use of digital media technologies such as PCs, the Internet, computer games, mobile telephones, etc., have become a normal aspect of everyday life in the world community country.

In 50 years from now, the world will probably be witnessing the fastest transformations brought about  by advancements in communications technology. People and the society are increasingly mobile and urban. Geographical, political and social landscapes are changing. All of these have impact on the way people communicate. The touchscreens in people’s smartphones will be invading every part of their lives; from the bathroom mirror, to the touchscreen table and even the possibility to interact with your living-room touch window.

Communication is like the lever which drives the

modern world, across every sphere of life, and the media, the fulcrum, that connects and influences the society, through evolution. The world has invented so powerful technology that its people might become the slave of it. People say that face-to-face conversations is “the most human thing we do.” What are the consequences of living in a world where people do this less and less? With this in mind, visualizing what communication and media might look like in 50 years’ time is incredibly challenging and at the same time quite alarming.

 

 

– Nicole Pauline Plagata & Ma. Lorena Serisola

 

References

Barrow, 2009. A Brief History of Communication Media. http://blog.timebarrow.com/2009/03/a-brief-communication-media-history/?fbclid=IwAR1VqCO_VbJ2_q1MV63AJ8zfNPlg7BLmJxyYrYLWKUgalT7WCF-ElrtIjb8