Communication is not only instruments, it is also human, a basic human right.
It had already been two years that we were dealing with communication as instruments: television, radio, film, internet, and the like. We hope they had been useful. But communication is also relationship. Starting this issue we shall change our usual pattern and we will speak of communication as relationship.
A basic human right
Communication is a basic human right which springs from basic human needs. It came into existence with the first human beings. In fact, life depends much on communications. A child, for example, cries to show that he is hungry. A person cannot develop fully if he does not express himself. He cannot fulfill his dreams if he cannot speak to another. If communication is a human right, non-communication is a violation of this right.
Communication is a personal as well as a social need. If members of a family do not speak to each other, the family will not thrive, nor will a larger community exist if there is no communication. It is through communication that a social group is created and social relations are maintained.
What must be communicated? The center of communication is the human being as he is the subject of communication. But communication is not just the right to speak and be heard. It is also the right to inform and be informed of what is just, true and beautiful. Every communication has a corresponding responsibility. To speak out something, it is justice not to infringe on the right of another.
Time and space limit our communication and it had been a custom to speak with those nearest to us: the rich with their equals, the poor among themselves, but this difficulty has long been overcome. The instruments of communication have widened our circles and made communication faster. There exists now, although in a limited way a horizontal and vertical relationship, with everyone regardless of color, status or belief.
Communication is also a duty. The first person we are bound to communicate to is ourselves. We have to speak to ourselves to calm our emotions, to pursue our desires or evaluate our deeds. If we do not communicate with ourselves, we are running the risk of not knowing who we are and what we truly want in life.
Communicate with God
We need to communicate with God. Many people leave this world without any thought of someone supreme who had given them their life and existence. Speaking to God is an art to be learned. Not so many are aware of this, that is why there are lots of undesirables and misfits in this world.
And as we have already said, we must communicate with our neighbors. This two-way process is participative and interactive. A person cannot be content with just giving information, or with speaking out what is in his heart. He eager to hear the response of his listener. Have they understood his messages? Is he communicating something pleasant? This interaction is what makes communication complete.
God gave us a good example of how communication should be done. He did not only reveal himself, gave norms to be followed, but he also established a relationship. He spoke and dialogued with the people of the Old Testament. Jesus, in his time, spoke with the people around him, and even reveals himself to some men and women of our times. The end goal of communication, as it was for God, is mutual understanding and communion.
If we achieve this, we have done a good communication.