C. P. Snow

“The newest computer can merely compound, at speed, the oldest problem in the relations between human beings, and in the end the communicator will be confronted with the old problem, of what to say and how to say it.” This quote comes from the U.S. broadcast journalist Edward Murrow; in it, he seems to suggest that no matter how advanced technology or science becomes, people still have to figure out how to communicate with each another. I think this is a reasonable conclusion because at the root of all human interaction is the need to communicate and understand others, as the basis of most problem-solving involves an element of compromise or moderation between opposing forces. These days, we have a multitude of means for communication, which is why the means are not really the issue anymore-it's the end that's a problem. It's people. We are losing our ability to communicate with those who are different than us- either because we are constantly trying to be politically correct and avoid offending anyone, or because we think our stance, position, or way of doing things is better than anyone else's. I recently wrote a scholarship essay based on a little physicist/novelist by the name of C.P. Snow. He delivered a famous lecture about the “Two Cultures,” in which he argued society was divided between the scientific and literary communities, or the two cultures. He also argued that until each side could gain an understanding of the other, neither realm would advance. This is something which I still consider a problem in our society; however, I think it exists in much narrower communities as well. Snow claimed that “in our society we have lost even the pretence of a common culture. Persons educated with the greatest intensity […] can no longer communicate with each other on the plane of their major intellectual concern. It is making it difficult or impossible for us to take good action." This is still very true; for instance, when two departments of an ad agency (ie:the age-old creatives vs. the suits) are trying to come to an agreement, neither side will be willing to budge on their stance if they look past what the other is saying and don't see the benefit of a compromise. This attitude puts horse blinders on us, in that we only pay attention to exactly what affects us and ignore what happens in the world outside us.