The Paradox of Idle Talk and More Communication

The Paradox of Idle Talk and More Communication

The problem with an increase in communication is that all communication takes time and energy. The more we communicate, the more time and energy we need to dedicate to expressing things and taking in what others express. The more we communicate, the more likely it is that we will spend less time and energy on each thing communicated-- both those going out and coming in.

Most of our communication is done on a fairly simple and superficial level. This makes sense because most of what we want to communicate on a daily basis is simple, practical and immediate. The superficial and simple can often work well enough in these cases. It makes sense in terms of saving time and energy. It makes sense as well because we don't want to spend more energy and time than necessary to do things that are simple and everyday. Heidegger uses the phrase idle talk in his book Being and Time, and in many ways idle talk is the kind of communication I am describing here. He says idle talk is common and even somewhat necessary, and he shows understanding of and appreciation for it.

Heidegger also criticized idle talk because aside from working-- in both the fact that it can get many things done and in that it saves time and energy-- it also tends to hide the fact that there is another type of communicating and thinking. This other, more authentic type, of thinking and communicating, goes past the everyday, the simple and what everybody knows or even beyond what can be clearly known. When we spend more time and energy communicating in general, we tend to fall deeper and deeper it to simple communication, in to idle talk. We get further and further form thinking and communicating deeply, because habits are hard to break and because we see less need to break from them the deeper into them we get.

Idle talk becomes habit, and it allows us to communicate more and more, which is what modern society and modern technology both make possible and encourage. As we communicate more and more, it becomes more necessary to save more time and energy on each instance of communication, each 'message' sent or received. All of this snowballs and further hides the fact that we can communicate and think in a deeper way. We not only don't take the time and energy to get beyond idle talk, but we no longer see the importance or necessity of doing so.

It is a paradox: the more we communicate in terms of the number of 'messages' we send and receive, the less we actually communicate in terms of detail, depth and substance. It is a paradox, but it is very real and also very depleting and crippling. It is why communication can be so present and prolific but also so unfulfilling.