SHYN LOUISSE DIARY 

"The medium is the message", now a famous quote, was written by Marshall McLuhan in 1964. While the medium may affect how messages are received, the users’/audiences’ own background/experience may also affect the interpretation of messages.

As far back as I can remember, I have hated being misunderstood—especially when that misunderstanding ends up making somebody feel bad. My earliest memory of this happening was from when I was in my highschool year. I don’t remember the details,but it was an event in my previous school and she was thirsty and I gave her my bottle of water or something like that. I remember her saying, “Thank you.” I was feeling very generous and in my mind, I didn’t want her to feel like she had to thank me. I tried to express this by saying, “You’re not welcome.”

To my surprise, she immediately became upset and told my other friends that I was being rude. I obviously didn’t understand the whole idea of saying “you’re welcome” to someone. I figured it was an obligatory answer you just said when someone said thanks. I remember so clearly how sad it made me that she thought I was being mean… especially since I was trying to be nice. I tried to explain to him what I meant and he wouldn’t hear it. It wouldn’t be the last time I was misunderstood this way.

Misunderstanding also occurs when the two people have a different nationalities who only speak their own language try to talk to each other. Misunderstanding is also a communication that we often experience in our life. Especially when we communicate with people from different cultures.

We wouldn’t be human if such misunderstandings didn’t occur from time to time.