Bandwidth

I am a poor communicator. Time and again I can see that what I was trying to convey has failed to reach its audience. At the same time – people see and hear clear dialogue and credit me with good communication. (Thank you).

To be fair, I do have some facility with words. But words are usually the least part of communication.

I refer to Albert Mehrabian's work on communication:

http://www.businessballs.com/mehrabiancommunications.htm

“Here is a more precise (and necessarily detailed) representation of Mehrabian's findings than is typically cited or applied:

• 7% of message pertaining to feelings and attitudes is in the words that are spoken.
  
• 38% of message pertaining to feelings and attitudes is paralinguistic (the way that the words are said).
  
• 55% of message pertaining to feelings and attitudes is in facial expression.”
  

And with that introduction out of the way...

I was reading some articles on the BBC web site and came across the following:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8378262.stm

The article struck a deep resonance within me. And it occurred to me that it might help me to communicate.

The article refers to 'locked-in' syndrome. The mind is still fully conscious, but the body is completely paralysed. The conscious mind has no means of communicating with the outside world. I think that everyone finds the thought of this horrendous.

But which is more scary to you... the fact of being paralysed? Or not being able to communicate?

Take a moment to imagine what it would be like to be conscious but cut off from the world – unable to communicate. If you are doing it right – you should be feeling something deep, visceral and intensely disturbing. More likely you just glimpsed what was there, saw that it might be quite unpleasant and backed off from visualising it in detail. That's fine.

I have (nearly) the full use of my body. I can run, jump and skip with the best of them (well... I would be able to if I exercised occasionally). If my motor function is impaired in any way it is subtle and minor (more likely the clumsiness common among autistic people is a result of lack of practice (ball games tend to involve other people) and/or a pervading tenseness).

But I'm missing most of the 93% of communication bandwidth that most people take for granted.

7% is a huge amount more than zero percent. I enjoy my facility within that seven percent.

And I sincerely hope that you never have to find out what it is like to live with ¹³/₁₄ths of your bandwidth cut off.