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From Stone Tablets to Tweets: Tracing the Evolution of Human Connection

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This editorial cartoon titled “The Evolution of Communication” by The Denver Post traces the development of human communication from the first written word to Twitter, now known as X. Each figure in the cartoon represents a different era: from early writing to movable type, mass publication, email, and finally social media. The final figure, hunched over a phone, tweeting “tweet tweet,” adds a satirical twist, implying that despite technological advancements, the substance of communication may be regressing. This cartoon directly relates to Chapter 4 – History of Communication Study. The image captures the significant shifts in communication tools and practices, from ancient written texts to print culture and eventually to digital and social media. It illustrates how communication has evolved across the time periods discussed in the chapter. That being, from oral traditions in the Classical Period, to the rise of print during The Enlightenment, to the digital explosion in the Present Day. It also reflects concerns raised in communication theory about how newer technologies shape the way we express and receive messages. This image resonates with how quickly communication methods have changed even in my own life. I, for instance, grew up learning to handwrite essays in elementary school, then gradually shifted to computers in middle and high school as technology advanced. Now, I rarely lift pens unless I’m taking quick notes. Otherwise, most of my assignments and communication happen through short texts or social media posts. In school or at work, even among friends, although I’m not old school, I sometimes struggle to balance the speed of modern communication with the clarity and thoughtfulness that older methods require. This cartoon made me realize how these shifts impact not just how we communicate, but how we think.

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