Melanie Tesch

Communicating Online

It was a delight to have Mel join us again, as we grapple with the complexities of interacting online.

Do’s and Don’ts

Mel kicked of with some do’s and dont’s:

  1. It’s unwise to comment on content if you haven’t actually read the content. It’s easy to jump to conclusions from a provocative title.
  2. Be careful when tagging someone, make sure you are tagging the correct person and be aware who is likely to see what you say (ie. possibly the world)
  3. If you make a typo, rather than correct in another post, edit the post.
  4. Have patience when the page is not responding to avoid duplicate/triplicate posting.
  5. People aren’t interested in what you doing moment by moment in your day. Post content that your friends will find entertaining and informing rather than annoying.
  6. Avoid ambiguity. If you want to say something, say it.
  7. Think of the future you. Your posts and photos are now forever on the platform.
This image is thought provoking and demonstrates the “highlight reel” concept that might motivate our interactions online.

Mel encouraged us to be aware of what is motivating our posts. Be wary of:

  • Image Crafting
  • Narcissism
  • Attention Craving
  • Jealousy Inducing
  • Loneliness
  • Sharing Unwarranted Opinions
We want to consider posting content that belongs in Region B and C

Is Texting an Inconvenient Convenience?

We talked about texting versus face-to-face communication, especially the preference of millennials to use text over other modes of communicating. We discussed whether social media was impeding or assisting us in forming deep connections.

We all agreed that face-to-face communication was the preferred medium for important conflict resolution, negotiation and basically to ensure a healthy relationship.

Regardless what we think, the reality is … millennia’s prefer texting

Managing Technology

In a sobering conclusion, Mel shared this you tube video which highlights the risk of technology taking a dominating role in our lives. We need to manage our relationship with technology.

Photo Gallery