Samorr’s Weblog – POL 363

First Assignment

Does it matter if an interaction occurs face to face? Why? What suppositions do you bring to bear in thinking about this question?

I think that face-to-face interaction has become an important issue in recent years primarily due to various advancements in technology. Since the technology boom, people have developed habits to interact with other people over the Internet and cell phones. Face to face interaction has become less significant and some people believe it does not matter. I feel that face-to-face interaction does matter, however it depends heavily on the scenario and situation

Does it matter if your teacher does not show up for the first day of class? I believe it does matter that students do not have a face to face interaction with their teacher on the first day of class. The interaction between students and the professor on the first day of class is critical. Students showed up and expected to receive a syllabus ask any questions they had. The teacher was not present and this resulted in a mix of emotions. Most students, like myself, were confused and became worried about what to expect with this class. My first thought was that this class was not off to a good start and has no organization. I like a class to be organized and be taught by a professor who I see routinely.   Many questions ran through my mind. Why wouldn’t the teacher show up? Is the teacher only going to show up for half of the classes all year? What is this class all about!? The professor, in this situation, should have been present in the first class. I believe the professor should have been present for a few simple reasons. Students pay tuition to come to class and be taught by a teacher. What is the point for students to show up if the teacher doesn’t? If students have questions, the professor should be there to answer them, especially on the first day of class. Students were asking each other questions, which lead to mass confusion. Imagine if there was a first year in the class and they showed up to their first ever college class and saw no teacher and a computer projecting information onto a screen. I would assume they would be nervous and a little shocked. 

Face to face interaction matters in other situations. For instance, socially. If people want to meet over the Internet and become friends, I don’t see any problems with that. People of all ages can talk to each other over the Internet very easily. This does not pose any problems in my mind. Chat-rooms, instant messaging tools and email have become popular. Young adults have the right to develop friendships. However, if two people develop an intimate relationship and have not met face to face, I believe that diminishes the feelings and emotions of the relationship. Roger Silverstone in “Complicity and Collusion in the Mediation of Everyday Life” discusses the culture of people in social situations. Silverstone writes: “The distance that separates one being from another in the face-to-face encounter is arguably as significant and profound, and as  ultimately unbridgeable, as that which separates two cultures across  differences of global space and of fundamental belief.” (Pg. 769) Having that face-to-face interaction with someone brings a level of maturity, respect and emotion to a relationship, especially if they are dating and are intimate with one another. I feel a relationship that is more than a friendship that is developed over the internet is empty and does not have a lot of meaning. 

Professionally, I believe face-to-face interaction is important and matters significantly. Job interviews, meetings and conferences are all different aspects of professional jobs that are more meaningful face to face. Imagine if someone walked into a job interview and his or her body language gave off a negative vibe and the tone was unhappy. Richard Rushton wrote “What a Face Can Do” and he simply says: “the face represents or expresses the inner feelings of a person; it expresses something that is hidden behind the face, yet there is something in the appearance of a face (on the face) that allows access to what is hidden beneath.” (Pg. 219) The interviewer would notice that body language and have their doubts about the person solely based on their body language. Meeting face-to-face produces benefits that allow a person to read someone and get a better feeling about how a person works and their attitude. As Rushton states: “Rather, the face incorporates as part of itself the very feeling or idea: the face is not the material representative of immaterial motivations; the face is not the external effect of an interior cause..” (Pg. 224) People’s emotions are important to see face-to-face as well. In a meeting at work, if someone does not feel strongly about a new idea, other people will see the person’s emotions without him or her saying a word. In the workplace, if something needs to get done and the boss e-mails an employee to do it, they may not receive the e-mail or check the e-mail. If they do not, it will present problems and that task will not be completed. If the boss talks face to face with that employee about the task at hand, the boss knows for a fact the employees knows and should be able to get it done.  However, in most situations, face to face interaction is more efficient, personable, and overall better for the work environment. Of course there are different situations and that will affect the important of face to face contact, which is why I believe face to face interaction is important depending on the circumstance.