What can we as people do to communicate with each other more effectively?

Say it don’t spray it.

I propose a sarcasm mark! Similar to a question mark so my friends will understand me when I’m being sarcastic online.
jkin’ I have no idea.

it would be helpful if people simply answered texts and picked up the phone when it rings

The answer is to remove individuality, and I doubt many people will be up for that. To understand someone else you need to have a similar base of experiences; when you don’t, misunderstandings happen. The problem is, when your experiences become more and more similar to someone else’s you become less and less individual. I think I’d rather have the individuality than to be perfectly understood every time I communicated with someone.

@hiitisit Actually we do have a sarcasm mark here at Fluther.

Sarcastic statements we like to end with ”~”. While not a requirement by any means, it has proven helpful.

How about thinking before we speak so that what we want to say and what we end up saying are understood fully? Maybe taking a moment before answering the question. kind of like the President does before responding to a question. I need to do this more often.

I guess my advice is not wanted :(

Sometimes I wish people would stop sacrificing clarity for poetry. Often I’ll see a post or hear someone obviously going out of their way to sound interesting instead of getting their point across clearly. I’m not saying speech should be bland, I’m only saying it should always be as clear as possible.

Most problems between people arise as a consequence of communication. Why don’t we all just shut up?

@ratboy Actually, I think most problems arise as a consequence of miscommunication or lack of communication. Or did you forget a ”~” after your post?

Simply make the effort to listen, hear and understand.

Well, one problem I think that’s unavoidable is the fact that we all seem to have different definitions of words. Yes, I realize this is the linguistics major in me speaking, but it’s true. I can’t tell you how many problems I’ve come across that originated because someone misunderstood someone because they interpreted the word/phrase differently. And they spend 2 hours arguing about the definition…(I’m not just referring to online).

We could perhaps take more care and give more specific detail. Your question, for instance, seems more than a little vague, non-specific. As too do your ‘details’.
Would you care to elaborate on what you are actually asking?

Perhaps someone more ‘qualified’ than myself will ask you this.
Or don’t ‘mods’ get ‘modded’?

Not be afraid to ask for what we want or for the other person to explain what they mean by what they say. I’ve been guilty of this where I’m embarassed to say what I want from the person because I think they should have figured it out or else I think they just don’t want what I want and it’s just un-communication more than mis-communication.

Be clear and concise.

I think one of the most obvious problems of miscommunication is not listening attentively. My mind tends to wander (a lot) and then I find myself wondering, what did they say????? If speaking face to face, one should make eye contact and pay attention to what the other is saying. On line, it is good to read the questions and responses carefully so as not to misinterpret.

Now what was the question again????

Give up our egos and speak from our hearts.

@lostinyoureyes: Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?

@lloydbird Mods do get modded.
Thanks for your input.
You can always flag a question you don’t approve of.

If it is my sincere, heartfelt belief that you and everyone like you must suffer horribly and die (and then perhaps, suffer some more) in order for things to be right with the world, how clearly, concisely, elegantly or poetically must I express this to you in order to bring us together?

@The_Compassionate_Heretic Oh, I see. :- |
OK….

No elaboration then?

Most people seem to be ok with it. No one has flagged it including you.

Oh,I think I’ve “flagged” it.

@lynneblundell it would be helpful if people simply answered texts and picked up the phone when it rings
I don’t have a mobile phone so unanswered texts pose no problem for me but telephones… When the telephone rings it is asking to be picked up, there is a choice involved, do I answer this call or not. There came a point in time when I realised I did not actually have to answer the telephone and likewise, others don’t have to answer their telephone even if it is ME trying to get hold of them!

@ratboy – Hm good question. Does evil go that deep? I think if we search further we’ll find that a deep desire to be loved is hidden under the layer of evil. Maybe I’m naive…

@Adagio yes everyone does have a choice, but i have found that it is quite detrimental to relationships

@lynneblundell I would agree with you if the practice became a long-term exercise in ignoring the people we are intimate with.

What happens when a couple goes too long without talking to each other about the stuff really important to them is they become bitter and snag up on each at every missed nuance, it feels like getting sick to your stomach to see what you once upon a time wanted most becoming nothing but going round and round in irritation. An SO of mine used to follow me around the house saying, “come sit down and talk to me, let’s talk like other people, let’s pretend we’re a normal couple…” by that time I was angry at him for so many missed things, I didn’t want them from him anymore because they’d never mean the same to me as if he’d done them when we were first together. I used to cry because I couldn’t get the feeling back for him, I had love but not romance and it turned him vicious because he thought I was rejecting him in every way as though he was unattractive, repulsive, etc. when it really was an accumulation of bitterness in me.