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COMMUNICATION IN TODAY’S MODERN WORLD
Kathlyn Q. Barrozo
Class of 1991, University of Santo Tomas
B.S. Medical Technology
Communication has been carried out in today’s world in more ways than were otherwise available to our
ancestors. We have indeed gone further than just the plain smoke signals and drum beating that those who
came before us used. And with a host of communication devices at our disposal, the whole process has
become as seamless as it has been effortless. The wonders of technology, indeed, will never cease to amaze.
I have constantly been in a state of awe as to how the cellular phone has evolved from a large chunk of
rectangular device that you could use as a weapon of manual defense, to something tinier than the human
hand. Time was when ownership of a mobile phone was a status symbol, only available to those who held
highly-responsible positions so they could be within reach at any time of the day. Text messaging was just
offered by a single network carrier, and only postpaid accounts were available to consumers. Now, even
preschoolers own the latest gadgets available to them—or to their parents’ buying power. Subscriber identity
module (SIM) cards can be changed as often as one wants, with other people either owning more than one
mobile phone to accommodate two carriers or just one mobile phone with dual SIM capacity, or maybe two or
three even---I don’t know. The mobile devices of today have gone a long, long way from just ordinary
communication devices to devices that show tremendous wealth and power. Wow!
My trusty mobile phone was just handed down to me by my youngest sibling, who also handed it down to him
by my younger sister. It does not have the trappings of today’s powerful devices. The mobile phone’s camera is
something I don’t even use personally; only my children use the camera function. It stores a limited number of
songs. I have never found it necessary to change to a better endowed device. I only use it to call people and
send text messages when I have to. All right, all right, there’s the budgetary consideration, too. Maybe, if I were
filthy rich with disposable income, I would purchase something with more functions and applications. However,
that’s just one huge MAYBE.
Today’s communication devices allow us to stay within calling, texting, video calling or emailing distance of
each other. The first two capabilities, all mobile phones have. All four capabilities have already been carried by
a number of cellular phone models. In my case, I send emails the old-fashioned way with the personal
computer (definitely not through smoke signals!).
If only life were as uncomplicated as the ease of sending messages and communicating thru mobi le phones.
Maybe, some genius could come up with a mobile phone that would solve all of life’s problems. Any takers?
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. What type of mobile phone do you own? What made you decide to get that device?
2. In your opinion, what are the most important functions of a communication device? Are the devices of the
modern world enough to address all our communication requirements?
3. Talk about the very first mobile phone you ever owned. Be able to talk about how and why you got it. What
made you decide to replace it?
4. If you had the financial ability to buy any communication device available on the market, what would that
device be? Why do you want it?
5. What is communication, in your own definition? Is it adequately provided by today’s technology? Why or
why not?