How to Understand Communication

Communication will always remain a distinctly personal art; no two persons communicate alike any more than they are quite alike in other respects. This factor of individual differences obviously makes it undesirable - even if it were possible - to attempt to reduce good communication to any kind of formula or definite "rule of conduct." Nevertheless, there are certain basic principles of communication which apply to all situations and all persons. These are so self-evident as to be "common sense"; yet their consistent application in daily interpersonal communication is by no means common. Whether or not we consciously think about them, our success or failure in expressing meaning and intent depends upon how well we observe basic principles of good communication. Communication still is a No. 1 problem in spite of the discussion and pronouncements, and it seems to me that the Albert Schweitzer quotation still is as good a description of what communication is, and mean, and makes happen, as we are likely to find: We wander through life in a semi-darkness in which none of us can distinguish exactly the features of his neighbor; only from time to time, through some experience that we have with our companion, or though illuminated by a flash of lightning.