Term Exploration: Instant Messaging

When looking up the term “instant messaging” in journalistic and scholarly databases, the earliest uses discuss the topic in two ways: either a massive accomplishment of it’s time or something which the society should be warned and concerned about.  In the Los Angeles Times, an article entitled, “Office Personnel Who Never Operated Computers Can Use Advanced System,” discusses an office information system in Wang Laboratories Inc. called Wang Alliance 250.  This system was praised for a number of things, one of which was their messaging system.  The features of the system included, “an index of messages, the signaling of messages, an electronic “in-basket” for the storage and display of text messages, a quick message function for the transfer of short notes, and a textual phone message which reflects the traditional “pink slip” phone message; word processing documents can also be sent through the message system” (Los Angeles Times, 2). This article posted in 1982 was praising this system to be something that changes he way offices will work forever.  In contrast, in an article posted in “Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review,” there is a section called Communications and Community.  This section warns readers of the future of technology and communication in a way that challenges the reader to think about what possibilities can come from instant messaging. Desmond Fisher (the author of the section) discusses many topics such as surveillance, information overload, converging of communication systems, and the idea of “the medium influencing the message.”  When reading these articles, you see the contrasting ideas of instant messaging and the technology that comes with it.  On one hand you see the parasail of such an amazing accomplishment and invention, and on the other hand you see the warnings of potential problems these new technologies may cause.  Looking from a viewpoint of todays modern society, you can still see the same two opinions.  There are always new instant communication methods being invented that spark debate.  The talk surrounding instant messaging is still seen in positive and negative lights and it is interesting to see that even before instant messaging became a prominent part of society, people had the same amazement or concerns.