The Importance of Communication in the Modern World

As technologies such as the Internet and cell phones have become more prevalent across the world, global communication has become more important. Mobile phones, social media and global television news have all made important contributions to society as a whole, underscoring the importance of communication in contemporary life.

As globalisation increases worldwide, communication becomes increasingly more important to businesses. A generation ago, businesses needed to mail important documents; now they can simply e-mail them. Employees can use their laptops to work from any location in the world while still maintaining constant contact with their colleagues. Firms can partner with international offices across the planet and work efficiently, all due to their ability to communicate easily and instantly.

Politically, communication has become more important than ever. The participants in the 2011 protests across the Middle East relied on websites such as Facebook and Twitter to quickly and efficiently disseminate information about meetings and security situations. This ease in communication allowed messages to spread beyond the ability of governments to suppress them. As a result, protesters in Tunisia and Egypt were able to topple regimes that had more money and military power.

The ability to use communication technologies to stay in touch with a social circle has greatly expanded. People can text or call friends from anywhere in the world and to anywhere in the world. Technologies such as Internet calling with programs like Skype allow people to keep in touch with their families abroad without expensive long-distance calls. This ability to communicate allows people to be more mobile geographically without sacrificing social connections, giving people a wider range of living options.

Cultural globalisation relies on communication to disseminate ideas across the globe, altering the composition of societies across the planet. People in America can use websites such as YouTube to watch Indian Bollywood music videos and see non-American news from organisations such as the BBC or Al-Jazeera. This cultural communication exchange gives people across the globe exposure to other cultural practices and modes of thought.