by Navin Rajendran

Created on: January 02, 2010   Last Updated: January 04, 2010

Apples or oranges, anyone?

When I stumbled upon this debate on Facebook v/s Telephone, two fruits immediately came to mind, not because I was hungry, though! There are some analogies I could draw between these wonderful fruits and the usefulness and/or appropriateness of two wonderful modes of communication.

It doesn't have to be a case of one or the other. It is reasonable to assume that at times you may prefer one fruit over another, and at other times, change your preference, unless you're allergic to one of the fruits! Each fruit has its benefits - nutrition value or the delight in enjoying the fruit. On a similar note, the choice between using Facebook or the good ol' telephone depends on the need of the hour.

Facebook was never intended to replace phone communication. It is great at what it WAS created for - social networking. It provides a great medium to stay in touch with friends and family. It encourages creative expression and has been working its magic for folks wanting to re-establish old connections. You can make announcements and provide status-updates to all the members in your network with quick, short messages on Facebook by simply posting an update to your profile... You can wish everyone on your network a 'Happy New Year' in a jiffy, but you just have to ask yourself 'is this personal enough?' to know that such a greeting is only a distant third to the other options - greeting in person and greeting over the phone! Also, a point to be noted is that not all your loved ones are going to be internet-savvy and can be 'added' as friends on Facebook. If you need to reach out to such folks, please pick up the telephone!

There are many mundane activities in our lives that still call for the usage of a telephone (no pun intended) - emergency hotlines like 911, clarification from Customer Service on your latest electricity/phone bill or even ordering pizza/ Chinese-dinners. If you need to communicate with someone urgently, you have to rely on the telephone/cell-phone to get the job done.

Sharing thoughts and messages over a Facebook chat session and playing games online with friends may be interactive and fun, but for the personal touch and the simple pleasure of speaking to someone and hearing a voice at the other end, you would still rely on the telephone. Case in point: There is a world of difference between the emotions evoked when you hear someone say "I love you" and those when you see words appear across a digital screen, although no one can deny the profoundness of those three powerful words. I rest my case!

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