Date of Defense

1978

Department

Communication

Abstract

Telephony currently means communication by telephone for most members of American society. It is a mechanical means through which people: "listen, react, sympathize, charm, persuade, plead, cajole, apologize, needle, soothe, explore, inform, and explain." (6) In essence it facilitates a person-to-person meeting in all but the video and tactile senses. As Marshall McLuhan would put it, it's an "extension of man." It allows us to be with another person (or group of persons in the conference call) immediately — transcending both time and space. According to the UN Statistical Review as of 1973, 131 million telephones were utilized in an estimated 300,000 millions of person-to-person conversations in the United States. While the myriad reasons far communicating via telephone will be elaborated upon later, an encapsulation of usages serves to show how pervasive the 'phone really is in our society. It serves as part of the human support system for the house bound; as a step-saver ("Let your fingers do the walking"); as a life-line in emergencies; and as a teacher.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Campus Only

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