La Comunicación y la Cultura Digital

Communication as a Human Fact and the Fundamental Axiom

The study of communication begins with a foundational principle regarding human behavior: human beings cannot not communicate. This is known as the fundamental axiom or the principal axiom, which expresses that it is impossible to remain outside the communicative process. Every action or inaction carries meaning that is interpreted by others.

The fundamental axiom "No se puede no comunicar" (One cannot not communicate) implies that communication occurs constantly and all the time. Even in instances where an individual remains silent, maintains a serious expression, or sits alone in a corner without explicitly speaking to anyone, they are still transmitting information. In these scenarios, the physical body, posture, and gaze are actively communicating messages to those around them; for example, a person's demeanor might signal "do not talk to me" or "I am tired." Consequently, the curriculum emphasizes that every single thing a person does constitutes an act of communication.

To establish a communicative process, there are specific minimum requirements. At the very least, communication requires two people who are engaged in the exchange of ideas and information. Without this interactive component between at least two participants, the specific act of human communication as defined in this context cannot take place.

Direct or Face-to-Face Communication

Communication is classified based on how individuals connect with one another. The first major category is Direct Communication, also known as Face-to-Face communication. This is considered the traditional form of interaction where the other person is physically present in front of you.

Direct Communication is defined by several key characteristics. First, it involves shared space and time, meaning the participants are in the same physical location at the same moment. Practical examples of this include chatting with a friend during a school break (recreo) or having lunch with one's family. Second, it possesses a horizontal directionality. In this flow, the subjects interact mutually; both participants function as senders (emisores) and receivers (receptores) at the same time. This allows for fluid interaction where individuals speak, respond, and interrupt each other in real-time.

The channel used in Direct Communication consists of natural human channels, specifically the voice, hearing (the ear), and sight. A critical component of this type of communication is the use of paralinguistic elements. This principle suggests that what is said is often less important than how it is said. Paralinguistic elements include gestures, gazes, vocal tones, body postures, and the physical distance maintained between speakers (proxemics).

Mediated or Mediatic Communication

Mediated Communication occurs when individuals are not together in the same physical space and require a technological device, or medium, to establish a connection. This form of communication allows for interaction across distances, making it possible to speak with someone located in a different province or even another country.

However, Mediated Communication comes with specific disadvantages that are critical for study. These include a lack of technical correction, which refers to the possibility of the signal being cut or dropped. There is also a significant loss of paralinguistic information because the participants often cannot see each other's faces or hear the specific nuances in tone. This leads to uncertainty and the potential for "noise" or interference.

Several specific examples of "noise" or interference are identified in the curriculum. One example is the physical malfunction of the medium, such as a cell phone breaking. Another example is a call with a poor signal that results in "choppy" audio (se escuche cortado), making it impossible to understand what is being said. A third example involves the psychological or technical disconnect that occurs when sending a message to a friend: if the message is not delivered due to technical issues, the sender may incorrectly assume they are being ignored (thinking the friend "clavó el visto" or left them on read) when the issue was actually a failure in the medium.

Evolution of Mass Media and Digital Media

Within the realm of mediated communication, a vital historical distinction is made between traditional "old" media and new digital media. Traditional mass media consists of television, radio, cinema, and printed newspapers or magazines. These traditional forms are characterized by being unidirectional, meaning information flows in only one direction from the medium toward the public. In this setup, the audience cannot respond directly or immediately.

Feedback in traditional mass media is either incredibly slow or completely non-existent. A practical scenario illustrating this is watching a news broadcast: if a viewer disagrees with the news anchor, they cannot physically enter the screen to argue with them in that moment. Furthermore, these messages are directed at a general public; the content is broadcast to a massive number of people simultaneously regardless of who they are individually.

In contrast, Digital Media and "Network Communication" (Comunicación en la Red) encompass content created through new technologies, web platforms, social networks, and mobile devices. Typical examples include TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp, Spotify, YouTube, Pinterest, streaming platforms like Twitch, and interactive games. These new media forms differ from traditional ones in several foundational ways:

  1. Direction: Digital media is multidirectional and interactive. Every user has the potential to be a content creator and can comment or interact in real-time.
  2. Access Timing: Traditional media requires the audience to adapt to a specific schedule (for example, watching a program at 21:00 hours). Digital media is "On Demand," allowing users to access content at any time and from any location.
  3. Recipient: The audience for digital media is more specific or personalized compared to the general public of mass media.
  4. Cost: The production of traditional mass media is significantly more expensive than the cost of uploading a video to the internet.

Glossary of Internet and Digital Culture Terms

Digital culture involves a specific vocabulary of terms used daily on social platforms that must be understood conceptually. The following definitions comprise the essential glossary for this topic:

  1. Gamer: A person who enjoys video games and usually plays them frequently.
  2. Streamer: An individual who performs live broadcasts (en directo) over the internet, typically using platforms such as Twitch or YouTube.
  3. Stalkear (Stalking): The act of reviewing or looking at a person's social media profile in great detail to observe their activities and behavior.
  4. Troll: A person who dedicatedly annoys, criticizes, or attempts to start fights with other users on the internet.
  5. Meme: An image, video, or humorous phrase that is shared and becomes viral (spreads rapidly) across the internet.
  6. Hashtag: A word or phrase written without spaces and preceded by the numeral symbol ( # ). It serves to label and organize specific topics or themes on social networks.
  7. Arrobar: The act of using the "at" symbol ( @ ) on social networks to explicitly mention or name a specific person or account.