Letters to the Editor
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donning my monocle
I think the biggest issue in written/online communication is that the written word leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to showing tone. What one person may write to be taken with the utmost seriousness may read as a joke to another. You may think I'm being sarcastic, but am I? Who knows! When I'm talking to you, even on the phone where you can't see me, it is incredibly obvious whether I'm taking the mickey out of you, or being really truly rude.
The other big issue is that there is no way to judge how the person we are communicating with is reacting to our statements. In a 'real' conversation we can immediately see the impact our words have on others. We read facial expressions and body language, and moderate our tone and approach accordingly.
The internet is a crazy place where we can be really mean to eachother (sometimes without even intending to be), and never have to see the other person's hurt reaction. Best not to take it too seriously.