[W Forum] Together Yet Apart: Communication in the COVID Era

Could it have been because of wearing masks? The summer, which was unusually difficult, has passed, and the cool breeze urging the arrival of autumn is welcome, but the feeling of starting a new semester is uneasy. Last semester, I tried various methods and experienced the fun and effectiveness of non-face-to-face (untact) lectures, but it is hard to shake off the regret of not being able to meet students in the classroom.

Recently, as social distancing has been strengthened, the number of people complaining of 'Corona Blue,' meaning lethargy and depression caused by restrictions in daily life, has increased. Fatigue from daily life, where people refrain from outdoor activities, are wary of others, and fear infection, has accumulated.

The unprecedented difficulties brought by the COVID-19 pandemic to every corner of our society are evident, but what is missing in our ordinary daily lives enduring this period? As someone commented, 'I thought I was a person who liked eating alone and drinking alone, but maybe not. These days, I miss company dinners.' In a situation where non-face-to-face communication is limited and deprived, we realize that we are social animals.

'Alone Together.' Thinking about current social relationships, the book by Sherry Turkle, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), comes to mind. Published in 2012, this book argues that in the digital society, we can connect not only with family and friends around us but also with anyone worldwide, yet true relationships and communication are lacking. Social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, which emerged and rapidly grew after the 2000s, serve as spaces where we express and show off ourselves, and social relationships tend to be formed egocentrically. Online 'friends' are more like an audience that acknowledges and confirms my existence rather than objects of empathy and communication, and relationships are judged and decided centered on myself.

Using various remote meeting and non-face-to-face lecture programs like Zoom, the concept of 'Media Richness' also comes to mind. The most effective 'rich' method for communication to reduce uncertainty and ambiguity is face-to-face. Although real-time video lectures are possible due to technological advances, it is difficult to communicate accurately through many students' facial expressions, gestures, and voices. Interestingly, in April this year, National Geographic and The New York Times warned that real-time video communication programs represented by Zoom can cause negative outcomes such as misunderstandings, alienation, and disconnection. We tend to think that such communication reproduces face-to-face conversations.

However, due to delays and distortions in computer screen and audio transmission, it can be inaccurate and may have unconscious negative effects.

Of course, in situations where physical distancing and non-face-to-face communication are inevitable, digital technology enables more effective communication. It is an important time for 'Alone Together,' where each person is alone but socially bonded and has a sense of community. However, we must not forget the essence of relationships and communication. Turkle's 2016 book, Reclaiming Conversation, emphasizes not mistaking superficial connections for conversations. In the digital world, we are always connected, but emotional exchange and communication may be absent, and there is concern that generations accustomed to digitally mediated communication from a young age lack opportunities to develop conversation and empathy skills.

Ultimately, face-to-face communication, where we focus on the other person's facial expressions and gestures in the same space and exchange opinions, can be complemented but not replaced by digital technology. I look forward to the end of COVID-19 so that I can meet students without masks in the classroom.

Choi Se-jung, Professor, Department of Media and Graduate School, Korea University