COMMUNICATING PEOPLE: THEN AND NOW

Nowadays, there are many ways to inform people, to be informed, to send messages and to receive messages to a person and from a person. The quickest growing of techs has brought the tremendous advantages to our lives to save our businesses, to survive against disasters, for the student difficulties, and the problems between family and friends.

During the yore times, many people had benefited the power of news. Communication was effective but not faster than now.

When I was 10, it was like a hundred years before we can hear news of my relatives that worked in Manila. Receiving her mail arrived more than one month. The other way to contact her was telegramming, long-distance telephone call where we paid every 5 minutes of talk and a letter.

Did you ever see the true-to-life movie Titanic? I felt a sudden grief after seeing the entire episodes. The most whimpering episode is when a child drowned in the water with his parents. His parents knew they'll never be saved so they let the water hit their room and prepared to face death. If that largest ship has drowned in this age, there are many lives that'll save and possibly including Jack Dozen. The greater numbers of the casualties than those who survived happened because of the sluggish communication before. In fact, the dating of Jack and Rose didn't happen by texting and a telephone call, but a letter.

Telegrams, letter, tv, telephone, cablegram, newspapers, radiogram, and bulletin issue were the only ways to hear the voices of our loved ones in the far places and to be cognizant of the happenings in the world.

My family's way to update our environment before was our radio. We did not have a television. To see the tv shows, we would disturb our neighbor to watch the TV cartoon series, "Julie and Julia." Then we can just be informed of the happenings in the environment by the newspapers delivered to our house. Sometimes, the newspapers wrapped in the goods from the sari-sari store.

The life of the prior era was harmonious but laborious. The time when my father worked far away for one week felt like it was a month. We cannot know his status if he is fine, when will he come back, and what is he doing unless his ally comes back. Mother would send him a letter or just tell his ally directly. Sometimes, the messenger doesn't tell to the recipient that makes the situation very tough.

## ## TV and Radio Ads
The TV and radio advertisements are usually the way to contact a person, too.

The news concerning the lost person and the things we lost was common to be announced on air when the cellular phone wasn't invented yet. Just like this personal story where my family was grieving too much when my aunt was lost. They have not seen her for 20 years. My grandma went to the radio station in RMN Butuan in case the listeners can see a young lady being lost with her white dress. Unfortunately, it didn't help. For 5 years, they moved on but after those years, they received a telegram. My aunt wrote she was fine and was married to a man dwelling in Batangas. It was the last time they heard a sudden news from her until Facebook was made. After 20 years, my mother and aunt found with each other through the help of social media.

It is true that there are also disadvantages in social media, but it is a big benefit to everybody who has lost their siblings and friends for many years. It's like a magic where we can instantly send our message to a person in less than one seconds. Now, my aunt is planning to visit us next year. Their talking seems like they did a chitchat in personal. The relationship through the help of Facebook is going closer and closer.

Moreover, the use of the TV news, radio, newspapers, and billboards are still important today because these are the most reliable informant to seek true news and product reviews.

These are besides important to warn the nation if there is a natural disaster. But in comparison amid the news today than before is faster because of the new media and devices. Bringing awareness to our fellowmen who are far away is convenient.

Letter Writing

Writing a letter was typical to communicate. Our family, friends, business companies can spread their messages to one another and negotiate through letter writing. In writing a letter, there are many forms. It is informal and formal. The form of the letter is made that suitable to the theme according to the sender. Letter writing is one of effective communications to send a message to the recipient. Many people get closer and closer because of this form.

Before, courting a woman takes a donkey's years before a man can hear a woman's "yes." Why? Because communication to a person you like needs pen and paper to get to know each other. It took time and so much effort, but that was the essence of being a man to pursue a woman.

The last time I experience in exchanging letters to pursue a woman was in high school and the most exciting highlight is the mania-manito where we use to write love letters to an unknown person.

In this new generation, I don't hear any of my cousin mentioning manita and manito in their schools. Is it because we lived in a modernized methodology these days?

## Telegram
Telegram is a brief message that doesn't use preposition, conjunctions, and modifier. It is brief but the message is clear. Using punctuation mark is not necessary too.

There are many incidents using telegram as a way to communicate like if there is a sudden loss of the family and friends, there is a birthday, a sudden stop of arrival and departure, and a sudden illness.

## Calling on the Telephone
Imagine if the world has no telephone. Imagine if we turned back to the primeval period where there was no telephone, how did the people communicate with each other? How did they send a message to their loved ones? In the Bible, the people needed to hike for a thousand miles to just bring the news and it took more than one month to arrive. As a millennial, I am thankful I've been in this era where communicating people are very accessible. The easier connection began when Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. There are many advantages to use the telephone and its benefits to our lives- we can save the time, money, and sweat.

Here are the important things why we needed to use telephone then and now.

1. if we have an agreement with a person for a meeting if ever the meeting is canceled or not
2. to leave important things we forgot to tell
3. to schedule an appointment to consult physician and business associates
4. to follow up an appointment if we can come or not
5. asking a question about an information we don't know that no need for us to talk to a person in personal
6. ordering or ordering a stuff to be delivered at home, where it isn't necessary to come to the mall
7. compromising an agreement or even at work
8. to provide a news to a family and friends who lived far away
9. to be friends with a telephone

By the times where the telephone was the only way to communicate faster, there were many strangers became friends and lovers because of the wrong dials. The telephone was a hit before cellphone. The only downfall about it is we cannot bring it wherever we go.

Did you ever experience it before when someone in an opposite-sex dialed your telephone number accidentally? Probably it was a wrong number, but the excitement of our nerve was incomparable. My relatives were married because of the wrong dialed on the telephone. The strangers became lovers. However, I was glad on teenage years, I wasn't one of those who met someone after the wrong dialing because it was dangerous. It's very wrong to commit a person we don't know. Telephone conversation was a hit on the radio stations also to request songs we like and to have a phone pal.

**

Things We Need to Know in a Telephone Conversation**

A. For the Caller

1. Tell your name so that the receiver of the call can trace who you are.
2. Avoid nonsense topics. Think that the telephone is not suitable for those who only like amusement over the phone.
3. If an intended person isn't available, just leave a message. Be polite and don't forget to thank the person that answered the call.
4. The caller is the one that ends the call. Drop the phone gently and avoid overthrowing.

B. For the Intended Party

1. Answer the telephone call promptly when you hear it ringing. Tell the numbers of the telephone and your address.
2. If the intended party is needed to be called, tell it to the caller and call the intended party immediately. Leave the telephone open on the table. Do not close.
3. Always be polite to talk on the telephone. Even if both are strangers, the other side can get to know who you are the way you handle the call.

Announcement

Announcing is the other way to inform people. Announcements are typical in this era because of the rapid growth of new products and devices. So, therefore, it is noticeable that announcement is made by those who have the capabilities in this field of knowledge that can even nor surmount the other announcements.

The best announcement should be:

1. brief
2. specific
3. informative
4. eloquent

**We can always see announcement of products and commodities in **

1. billboards
2. radio
3. television
4. magazine and newspapers
5. cinema
6. spreading the agents
7. hosting a contest with prizes

Announcing new important news have many options including social media and cellphone. In the cellular phone, we can send our message that doesn't consume an hour. In social media by the power of the Internet, our messages won't even consume seconds.

In the Philippines, courting a woman should always be formal but it has faded due as an effect to the faster service of cellular phones and media networking sites. It is our culture that the man before who pursued a woman was patient to wait for a donkey's years to hear a woman's big yes. Man's first way to court a woman is to send a love letter and if he is shy to reveal his feelings in person. Then a woman replies to a letter too. Then a man decides to court her in person. The man visited her house to court her parents. First, he serenades under the moon with flowers and chocolates. Kissing was forbidden even holding hands if the woman says yes because the ancient Filipina believed she'll become pregnant when a man sits close to her and kiss her.

Today, it is a men's advantage when they see a woman they like. The fast exchanging of messages is with the help of an electronic mail (before was only a mail), texting in cellular phones, and in social media. Men who are shy can directly reveal their feelings. Commonly, parents are out of their business. Parents do not know their daughter has already a boyfriend.

You see? Proposing a feeling now is very fast and the essence of being a Filipina is lost and I am guilty because I'm one of those who are Westernized already.

If a man offers his love for you, what do you prefer? Would it be letter writing or electronic message? If you are a man, which one is your choice?

As a woman, letter writing is worthy than the effort in messaging online and on my phone because we can see and feel the effort of a man.

Now, what is your choice, do you like the method to communicate now or in the past?

Indeed, I am luckier to be one in this era because I have seen how the world and humanity are controlled by this modernized period. However, all of us should be careful to use this accessibility. One of its disadvantages is the effect on our behavior.

DISCLAIMER: The content and illustrations are original unless credited.