Have you seen the new Nextel Blackberry commercial?  This commercial is brilliant.  It is not brilliant because it is made so well (although the production value seems good to me).  It is not brilliant because of the product (although I hear Blackberrys are great phones).  It is brilliant because of the story it tells.

Have you noticed all of the best or most memorable commercials tell a story.  There is the old Nextel commercial where people get married quickly utilizing their Nextel phones or the one where the businessmen cut a deal quickly because of their phones.  But this one is even more brilliant.

The commercial tells the story of two people, a couple, who are having trouble working out their difficulties.  Many of us have been there, while in a relationship.  Bad communication and trouble connecting, affect two people causing a rift between them resulting in the necessary “talk.”  

Attempting to talk it out in a restaurant doesn’t go well.  The girl ends up storming out and heads down the sidewalk.  Thankfully, his trusty Blackberry comes to the rescue.  He texts her.  She gets it, turns around, and then embraces him as he exits the diner.

Thank God for allowing our communication to be assisted by a Blackberry.

This commercial brings up so many interesting observations and questions.  It is clearly implied that digital communication is easier and more effective than face-to-face communication.  That is exactly what Nextel was getting at.  Far from discounting this idea, I am more inclined to affirm that most people find digitally mediated communication easier and more effective than face-to-face communication.  But is this good?

How many readers have unlimited text plans?  Many find they do more communication via text than in-person anymore.  Just the other day, I drove to a friend’s house to pick him up.  I called twice to tell him I was there, but no answer.  I then sent a text message, to which he replied immediately that he would be right out.

What does this sort of communication do to us?  Are we being altered by our chosen mediums?  How does this affect the way people think and write?  In classes I teach, I am seeing text language creep into my student’s papers and correspondence.

But back to the point.  Do we really want our relationships to be mediated by a cell phone?  While perhaps efficient at some forms of communication, let this not be a substitute for authentic, real, heart-to-heart relationship.  Real relationships are hard, requiring effort.  Let us not forsake the meeting together as some are now in the habit of doing.


Phil