Topic 49 Face-to-face communication vs. emails or phone calls. Since the beginning of time the most important method of communication has been the face-to-face communication

Since the beginning of time the most important method of communication has been the face-to-face communication. In fact for a long time, face-to-face communication was the only method used. As time progressed new methods came along with the use of letters, telephone calls, and emails. Even with these improvements in communication, nothing has been able to replace the face-to-face method.

One reason that face-to-face communication is better than newer methods is that it allows one person to see the facial expressions of another. When a person is talking about good news they usually smile and their eyes light up (загораются). Or when a person is having a serious conversation, their eyebrows are usually lower and they keep a straight face on while talking. Without these facial expressions it can be tricky to figure out (сложно понять) a person's meaning behind what he says.

Another reason why face-to-face communication is important is that you can tell whether the person is telling the truth or not. When people communicate over the phone or through an email it is impossible to tell when a person is lying. But when it comes to personal communication it is not as easy to get away with a lie. Many people in business prefer this face-to-face method because it helps them to figure out if the person speaking is honest enough to go into business with.

When it comes to face-to-face communication there is one more reason why it is better than other methods of communication. When a person is expressing feelings of love or sympathy, no other method of communication will express them perfectly. When a person is showing his/her love for someone, he/she must do it face-to-face so that the other party can see how much he/she mean what he/she says. Also when it comes to expressing sympathy for someone, using any other types of communication is just not enough. By calling someone or emailing him/her to express sympathy, it just shows that you do not have the time or care enough to go over (подойти) and say it in person.

For the reasons listed above, face-to-face communication will always be better than other types of communication. But while face-to-face communication is better, newer methods cannot be ignored. These methods have helped to carry communication over through long distances around the world; thereby expanding the world we live in and bring everyone closer together. Through the use of letters, telephone calls and emails, a person living in New York can now communicate with his/her loved one as far away as South Africa.