Do We Communicate? Or Do We Just Exasperate?

Household Internet is as common as TV, having exploded in the last 25 years.   Most of the people you encounter on a regular basis have access to, and regularly use the internet.  We use it to learn, we use it to explore, we use it for entertainment and we use it to Communicate!  It is a phenomenal tool to reach, connect to and communicate with an unlimited amount of people everywhere!  What an amazing thing! What a wonderful thing!  We should use it!

But do we use it for the value that it truly offers?  Or do we take advantage of the opportunity to broadcast our own thoughts and ideas?  Not that there is anything particularly wrong with that, but are we exclusively doing that while we shut out the amazing opportunity to learn and grow and truly understand the thoughts and ideas of others - even if they conflict with our own and threaten to pierce our fragile ego?  Hmm?

Ponder this.  I did, and I made this video in reaction to a comment thread that I watched unfold that struck me as so sad.  It could have been such a wonderfully complex conversation and it just devolved so very quickly into empty, egotistical self-projections and resistance to useful banter.

Here's what I think - and here is my advice insofar as effective, improved communication: