Lately, I keep hearing that communication is dying.
Less talking.
More scrolling.
Shorter conversations.
I have agreed with that thought many times.
Then, last week, a tiny WhatsApp feature made me pause.
In WhatsApp groups, there’s a feature called Member Tag. It’s a small line that appears below your name, visible only to that group.
I recently became part of a four-member group. We had met during a trip, got along well, and created the group for one simple reason—to have fun.
One day, I changed my member tag.
Another member noticed it and changed his.
I replied.
Soon, without typing a single message in the chat, we had a conversation.
Him: Tell me something new.
Me: You are off track.
Him: The track starts with me.
Me: Do you know where it ends?
Him: Does it matter?
The conversation wasn’t urgent.
It wasn’t important.
It wasn’t even complete.
But it made me smile.
While I was wondering why the other two members hadn’t joined in—or perhaps hadn’t even noticed it—I realised something.
We often think communication is about talking, texting, calling or writing.
Maybe it isn’t.
Maybe it’s about the willingness to connect.
When that willingness exists, we somehow find a medium.
A phone call.
An emoji.
A sticker.
Or, in this case…
A tiny WhatsApp member tag.
The Perspective
Maybe communication isn’t dying.
Maybe it’s just changing its address.
The medium keeps changing.
The intention doesn’t.
☕ What’s the most unexpected way you’ve had a conversation with someone?