Historical Perspective of Communication

--- Imbalance in producing and consuming information since 6,000 years ago, even in

IT ages ---

http://yo-sato.com/

~50,000 years ago:

languages -speaking/hear

ing

~6,000 years ago:

characters -reading/writin

g

~2,000 years ago: paper

~600 years ago: printing

press

Today: digital, internet -

typing

History of Human Communication

At sometime, ape started to live on trees. Eyes became the primary receptor to sense the surrounding world in place of olfaction.

~7,000,000 years ago: walking -free hand

~50,000 years ago:

languages -speaking/h

earing

~6,000 years ago: characters

-reading/wr

iting

~2,000 years ago:

paper

~600 years ago:

printing press

Today: digital,

internet -typing

History of Human Communication

Around 7,000,000 years ago, the human race started upright walking. It freed hands. Hands were a powerful tool to increase the human ability. The hand dexterity and the intelligence of homo-sapience developed together.

~7,000,000 years ago: walking -free hand

~50,000 years ago:

languages -speaking/h

earing

~6,000 years ago: characters

-reading/wr

iting

~2,000 years ago:

paper

~600 years ago:

printing press

Today: digital,

internet -typing

History of Human Communication

Then humans balanced his head on the spine. About 50,000 years ago, human’s audio organs changed their positions, and humans became to be able to control complex voices.

~7,000,000 years ago: walking -free hand

~50,000 years ago:

languages -speaking/h

earing

~6,000 years ago: characters

-reading/wr

iting

~2,000 years ago:

paper

~600 years ago:

printing press

Today: digital,

internet -typing

History of Human Communication

At that time, humans invented languages. This allowed humans to develop concepts and communicate them. Humans speak and listen at about 150-160 words per minute.

~7,000,000 years ago: walking -free hand

~50,000 years ago:

languages -speaking/h

earing

~6,000 years ago: characters

-reading/wr

iting

~2,000 years ago:

paper

~600 years ago:

printing press

Today: digital,

internet -typing

History of Human Communication

About 6,000 years ago, humans invented character systems. This allowed humans to record concepts, read them, and communicate them beyond ages.

~7,000,000 years ago: walking -free hand

~50,000 years ago:

languages -speaking/h

earing

~6,000 years ago: characters

-reading/wr

iting

~2,000 years ago:

paper

~600 years ago:

printing press

Today: digital,

internet -typing

History of Human Communication

Hand dexterity was useful to write the characters, and humans write at about 22-31 words per minute. On the other hand, humans have strong visual organs, eyes, and can read more than about 250-300 words per minute. The imbalance was born with the characters.

~7,000,000 years ago: walking -free hand

~50,000 years ago:

languages -speaking/h

earing

~6,000 years ago: characters

-reading/wr

iting

~2,000 years ago:

paper

~600 years ago:

printing press

Today: digital,

internet -typing

History of Human Communication

Character system needs some education while any people can communicate through voices. Character system became a formal language while voice system is a private/informal media.

~7,000,000 years ago: walking -free hand

~50,000 years ago:

languages -speaking/h

earing

~6,000 years ago: characters

-reading/wr

iting

~2,000 years ago:

paper

~600 years ago:

printing press

Today: digital,

internet -typing

History of Human Communication

Around 2,000 years ago, humans invented paper. This allowed human beings to communicate concepts beyond space and time.

~7,000,000 years ago: walking -free hand

~50,000 years ago:

languages -speaking/h

earing

~6,000 years ago: characters

-reading/wr

iting

~2,000 years ago:

paper

~600 years ago:

printing press

Today: digital,

internet -typing

History of Human Communication

After the printing press was invented around 600 years ago, the acceleration of paper-based communications resulted in a circulation of knowledge that is believed to have led to the scientific revolution.

~7,000,000 years ago: walking -free hand

~50,000 years ago:

languages -speaking/h

earing

~6,000 years ago: characters

-reading/wr

iting

~2,000 years ago:

paper

~600 years ago:

printing press

Today: digital,

internet -typing

History of Human Communication

Now we are in the digital information and internet age. Humans can now access/communicate information around the world instantly.

~7,000,000 years ago: walking -free hand

~50,000 years ago:

languages -speaking/h

earing

~6,000 years ago: characters

-reading/wr

iting

~2,000 years ago:

paper

~600 years ago:

printing press

Today: digital,

internet -typing

History of Human Communication

But human beings still use keyboards and the speed of typing is 23-40 words per minute, which is not much different from writing. IT and Human Computer Interface technology has not helped change the imbalance.

~7,000,000 years ago: walking -free hand

~50,000 years ago:

languages -speaking/h

earing

~6,000 years ago: characters

-reading/wr

iting

~2,000 years ago:

paper

~600 years ago:

printing press

Today: digital,

internet -typing

History of Human Communication

Human beings can consume text very fast but produce it slowly.

160

31 40

160

300

Speaking Hand-writing Key Typing Listening Reading

Words Per Minute

Gap

Producing Consuming

Human beings still rely on fingers to produce texts.

160

31 40

160

300

Speaking Hand-writing Key Typing Listening Reading

Words Per Minute

Producing Consuming

Today’s human-machine dialog bandwidth is rather one-sided.

Human Machine

Producing

Consuming

Why not Information technology help human exploit its power of information production?