Mind reading is something that amazes people. It's an illusion, whereby one can interpret the thoughts of another through facial expression. I'm an experienced mind reader for a few people. I am going to use the example of one of my best friends here. I have spent countless hours with her, and I am able to interpret her facial expressions into a full length paragraph, if need be. There are times when I would be able to interpret a text message differently if she adds in a comma, or a full stop. It's not a gift from the Gods, it's not something I was born with; it's a quality I have gained because I spend time with people, and observe their mannerisms, to know them better, and with that knowledge I am able to make accurate assumptions on what is currently playing in their heads.
There is a friend of mine (ok, well, we're standing on the borderline, so where are we?) who uses text messaging and whatsapp as our major form of communication. We do meet up and talk, or talk on the phone once in a while, but texts are how we communicate most days. Initially, I thought it was a good thing, since we're both busy, we have different schedules, we run in different social circles, and although we live on the same campus, it isn't easy to spend as much time together as we'd like. But, when your strongest form of communication is by text message, where the only emotions you display at times are through words and emoticons, how can you develop the ability to 'read minds'? We make assumptions as to how well we know the other, or what the person is thinking, but without an increase in human contact, without the gadgets getting in the way, how much can we actually know someone?
I used to think that, in the days when letter writing was, at times, the only means of communication for some, writing released inhibitions, and that I could express all that I wanted to in a letter, and the person receiving it would know exactly how I felt as I wrote it. Nowadays, technology has manoeuvred itself by taking that to a whole new level, where we display emotions as a range of emoticons that are supposed to help us explain what we would have expressed on our faces had the recipient been right in front of us.
In my texts, I use emoticons quite often, especially when I'm particularly happy, or when I'm trying to make a joke or sarcastic comment. Sometimes, the use of emoticons are not restricted to texts alone. I use them in my notes, and I'm sure I've used them on this blog too. There are days when I'm not so particularly joyful (there aren't that many, I hope) and I don't use any at all. Those who know me would know that, I suppose. But does that really make up for not being able to see the expression on a person's face?
In the end, a mind reader is someone who is able to interpret your thoughts based on your facial expressions and body language, rather than interpret what they can from a text message or email, where messages can be cryptic or naked, depending on the mood of the writer and the context of the message.
Recently, there have been moments where I would have loved to not have to be a mind reader by interpreting texts, as the replies I could have sent to some people would have been snappy and harsh, which is not something I like to do, and I reserve those moments for those that really deserve it.
There is a friend of mine (ok, well, we're standing on the borderline, so where are we?) who uses text messaging and whatsapp as our major form of communication. We do meet up and talk, or talk on the phone once in a while, but texts are how we communicate most days. Initially, I thought it was a good thing, since we're both busy, we have different schedules, we run in different social circles, and although we live on the same campus, it isn't easy to spend as much time together as we'd like. But, when your strongest form of communication is by text message, where the only emotions you display at times are through words and emoticons, how can you develop the ability to 'read minds'? We make assumptions as to how well we know the other, or what the person is thinking, but without an increase in human contact, without the gadgets getting in the way, how much can we actually know someone?
I used to think that, in the days when letter writing was, at times, the only means of communication for some, writing released inhibitions, and that I could express all that I wanted to in a letter, and the person receiving it would know exactly how I felt as I wrote it. Nowadays, technology has manoeuvred itself by taking that to a whole new level, where we display emotions as a range of emoticons that are supposed to help us explain what we would have expressed on our faces had the recipient been right in front of us.
In my texts, I use emoticons quite often, especially when I'm particularly happy, or when I'm trying to make a joke or sarcastic comment. Sometimes, the use of emoticons are not restricted to texts alone. I use them in my notes, and I'm sure I've used them on this blog too. There are days when I'm not so particularly joyful (there aren't that many, I hope) and I don't use any at all. Those who know me would know that, I suppose. But does that really make up for not being able to see the expression on a person's face?
In the end, a mind reader is someone who is able to interpret your thoughts based on your facial expressions and body language, rather than interpret what they can from a text message or email, where messages can be cryptic or naked, depending on the mood of the writer and the context of the message.
Recently, there have been moments where I would have loved to not have to be a mind reader by interpreting texts, as the replies I could have sent to some people would have been snappy and harsh, which is not something I like to do, and I reserve those moments for those that really deserve it.
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