In public speaking, controlling your body language is a particularly important skill. While its often misquoted from the researcher Albert Mehrabian that only 7% of all communication consists of words itself, it is still important that you give an impression of confidence and sincerity in your speeches through your body language. Many people have been considered poor public speakers due to their body language. Probably the most famous example is the 1960 Nixon-Kennedy Presidential debate, where Nixon looked sweaty, nervous and sickly,while Kennedy looked relaxed and confident. Radio listeners believed Nixon had won the debate while television viewers believed Kennedy had won. Many analysts blamed the debate for why Nixon later lost the election.
The importance of body language in public speaking raises an important question for our generation: how capable public speakers can we really be when our communication is becoming increasingly dominated by written communication? Until only twenty years ago, the main form of written communication between people was mail. Even when people called people on the phone, they could still pick up the tone of a person's voice to read their emotions. But in 2011? It's considered easier to text a person rather than call them. The number of written formats for written communication, such as email, instant messaging, forums, Facebook, chat rooms and blogs, has increased exponentially. We have video chat in the form of Skype, but that's generally only used for lengthy conversations. All in all, technology seems to be reducing the frequency with which we use body language in our daily life.
Mastering public speaking could be a greater challenge to our generation than any other generation before us. If we mainly communicate with people through written communication, how can we be expected to get in front of people and give a relaxed, confident speech? How can we be expected to give off good, nonverbal, cues? As we learn the art of public speaking in this class, extra attention should be given to teaching us proper body language.
Although it is obvious, I never really gave much thought to how much body language is diminishing because of new technologies. You make a great point using examples like texting, Facebook, etc. Body language is a very large part of succeeding in getting our point or message across, and if that is no longer there, with texting for example, there is only words. There is no emotion to a Facebook wall post unless you specifically say that you are upset or angry or happy. Technology is definitely affecting body language in our public speaking, whether in typical everyday conversation or important speeches.
ReplyDeleteBody language is important, but there is something more essential when giving a speech: the content of said speech. With all the commenting on social sites, chat rooms, and texting people's ability to use language in a more formal setting diminishes. Body language, although not monitored as closely as it should be is still used in everyday casual conversation.
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