Communication: August 2013

Examples of Distortions in Communication

Example1:

Given below is a hilarious piece on distortions in communication (to be taken in a lighter vein, yet amply warns about the disasters of distortions in communication):

1. Communication from Managing Director to Works Director:

Tomorrow morning there will be a total eclipse of the sun at nine o'clock. There is something which we cannot see happen every day, so let the workforce line up outside in their best clothes to watch it. To mark the occasion of this rare occurrence I will personally explain it to them. If it is raining we shall not be able to see it very well and in that case the workforce should assemble in the canteen.

2. Communication as passed down from Works Director to General Works Manager:

By order of the managing director there will be a total eclipse of the sun at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. If it is raining we shall not be able to see it very well on the site, in our best clothes. In that case the disappearance of the sun will be followed through in the canteen. There is something that we cannot see happen every day.

3. Communication as passed down from General Works Manager to Works Manager:

By the order of the managing director we shall follow through, in our best clothes, the disappearance of the sun in the canteen at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. The managing director will tell us whether it is going to rain. This is something which we cannot see happen every day.

4. Communication as passed down from Works Manager to Foreman:

If it is raining in the canteen tomorrow morning, which is something that we cannot see happen every day, our managing director, in his best clothes, will disappear at nine o'clock.

5. Communication as passed down from Foreman to Shop Floor:

Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock our managing director will disappear. It's pity that we cannot see this happen every day.

Example 2:

Someone put the following spoof on a Marathi language blog "Misal pav". Here is a translation…

A reporter from a news agency is interviewing Mr Narendra Modi (a politician in India): "What is your favorite fruit Mr Modi?"

Modi: "Mango."

Within a minute this exchange is carried by all news channels in India as "breaking news" with the header, "Modi does not like guavas."

Spokespersons of different political parties/NGOs are invited to give their reaction.

Jitendra Avad: Mahatma Gandhi used to like banana, which is easily available all across India and cheap; so even the poor people can afford it. It is a fruit of aam admi (common man). Modi is basically against Mahatmaji. So it is obvious that he does not like bananas. He represents Nathuram Godse who killed Bapuji (i.e. Mahatma Gandhi).

Manish Tiwari: Modi does not like guava because of its green color! This shows his anti-Muslim bias!! Shame on him!!

Ajay Makan: Not surprised Modi likes an expensive fruit like mango. By that choice, he is mocking the poor masses of India.

Pappu aka Amul Baby: I am not like Modi who only likes specific things or items. My food intake is all-inclusive and I respect all foods like I respect all religions. I like saffron mangoes, green guavas, and white amlas (a citrus fruit). Tomorrow I am going on a visit to the poor people of UP living in poor huts where I will share and eat green and yellow skinned bananas with them.

(Pig)Vijay: Modi is a rotten mango and must therefore be immediately removed from the basket. Otherwise all mangoes in the basket will rot. A rotten mango like Modi has no place in the secular, all-inclusive basket of India.

Nitin Wagle on Lokmat-IBN Ten O’clock News: Welcome all! A new day and a new topic for discussion today. Modi has betrayed his ugly, communal facade by declaring that he likes mangoes. By deliberately avoiding green guavas from the list of fruits he likes, Modi has clearly demonstrated his anti-Muslim, communal mentality. We have among us Mr Madhav Bhandari of the BJP, Mr Sachin Savant of the Congress and great and original thinker Mr Markandey Katju.

A comment by Dilip Padgaokar:

"Modi likes mangoes an Indian fruit which mean he hates Olives, the Italian fruit. This shows a narrow nationalism. These RSS people have no international taste."

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