Redefinitions of Categories

By

Obododimma Oha

When discussing ICT, we find ourselves in a different world. An Igbo proverb provides a guide : "Ọ bụrụ na egwu dagharịa, ọgbụgba ya agbanwe" (If the beat changes, the dancing also has to change). Categories like "context," "text," "audience", etc also change and call for serious rethinking. So, how do we have to view them in the context of ICT?

Context:

Context is simply the environment of the text or the world of the text. This means that a text does not live or go alone. It always goes with its context. This has been the dominant view in sociological explorations on human interaction. Now that ICT has come into the equation, altering the variable, we have to reexamine context in ICT interactions.

The Internet in ICT is everywhere. It is not New York or Paris. It has no particular location. This means that when we are online, we are nowhere and everywhere. It's also a problem, even though it looks wonderful.

Some ways that being everywhere in online interactions becomes a problem :

  - - being exposed to the world and  vulnerable

  - - making  interactions observable to every one online

  - - increasing the risk level through exposure. 

Text:

The traditional ideas we have about the text is that

-- It is written. 

-- It could be put on paper, slate, or board. In  words, its technology requires where it has to be displayed.

-- Texts are created to be read, by another person

-- That other person for whom it has been created has to have the competence or skills to receive it.

-- Texts are created to affect us.

-- That texts are created to affect us means that they are not neutral and we have to be careful in receiving them.

-- etc

But texts are not always written. They could be spoken or  exist in other forms. In the case of ICT, texts could disappear and appear, transform, appear in various forms, likes being electronic, etc. This affects the type of audience it can have, consumption, storage, etc. We have to note that ICT has changed the text we use.

Mode

The text has modes. It could be written, spoken, visual, etc. The ICT text has forms that can transform. The keyboard has done something to the production of the choice of text, even helping our fingers and our brains. (See  https://x-pensiverrors.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-computer-keyboard-to-rescue.html). 

Tenor

We mentioned the reception and consumption of the text earlier. That means its audience. First, let us note some who originate the texts used are eventually isolated and neglected because they don't have access to this technology. It is only those who have access that can connect to or use Facebook. Others are neglected. So, ICT in its tenor further encourages marginalization of a part of our world.

This means the privileged conversing with the privileged in society.

Distance

ICT also transforms "distance." There is no more thee far or near place. Frances Caincross puts it interestingly in the title she chooses for her book, *Death of Distance*(See https://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/the-death-of-distance-how-the-communications-revolution-is-changing-our-lives-distance-isn-t-what-it-used-to-be )

Netiquette

Netiquette is another phenomenon to think about. We are familiar with etiquette, which refers to proper conduct of self in various situations. If we become Internet citizens, we are not free from expected good behavior. Groups online are expected to indicate rules governing behavior of members. Click here to see an example of rules of Netiquette created specifically for students 

https://www.utep.edu/extendeduniversity/utepconnect/blog/october-2017/10-rules-of-netiquette-for-students.html#:~:text=Netiquette%2C%20which%20is%20a%20portmanteau,when%20communicating%20with%20others%20online.

Politeness:

Politeness requires being pleasant in language when communicating with others. We should not appear to be rude or try to offend. It applies to real-world interactions and online exchange. These days, some people just get to social media and write nonsense. That is not good. They are supposed to be nice to others and to write good things. So, Politeness is a regulation of good conduct: in communication, action, etc. 

Implications of Politeness about our Communication

(1) The communication is desirable. 

(2) We can be accepted. 

(3) We have good intentions in the communication. 

(4) We mean we'll. 

(5) We like the people addressed. 

Values:

In all communication values are prominent and essential. ICT makes values even more important. We as communicators are presenting our values and reacting to the expression of values. We should therefore try to be polite and keep to Netiquette. 

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