I want to address a topic that has been bothering me for a while now. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to think of an appropriate platform in which to discuss this topic, i.e. Facebook, Steno Groups, or even face-to-face chats. The reason being this; I don't want to come off as a complete D-bag or judgmental prick. So I will attempt to discuss my opinion on this subject below and do feel free to chime in with yours in the comments. I would love to know if others are on the same thought wave as I am, or if, in fact, I am being a needlessly judgmental.
I have noticed a shift in our culture that has many factors that come into play. This shift is the one that took people's ingenuity, drive for education and information gathering out of their own hands and capability and placed it into a high-speed, instant gratification, internet forum. What I am talking about is the fact that, rarely, do people seem to do their own research or information gathering. Why would one spend a couple of hours Googling, going to the library, or reading books on a topic they want to know more about when they can now simply make a post on Facebook or some other forum and have their question answered by a thousand-plus people who may or may not be truly educated on the topic?
This also feeds into the culture a tendency to believe whatever the majority of people are saying on one topic or another.
Where I have noticed this irritating trend the most has been on Steno-based groups and forums. The reason I say irritating is because my personal news feed from these groups is always full with redundant questions about salary, job market, what's the best theory, should I do this, should I do that, I need someone to hold my hand and validate everything I do and think that pertains to my individual career choice! Most of which can be answered by a simple Google search.
Look, I know that sounded very D-bagish and the solution is easy, take it out of my news feed if it bothers me so much. People learn differently, people need encouragement and guidance, especially in the field of Steno as it can be so independent that one feels lost or alone in the pursuit of this career. I get all of that. I am not saying I haven't needed instant information or encouragement just like the thousands of those people in the Steno groups. I am, afterall, one of those thousands.
What I would like to talk about is the broader issue of reliance on instant information without doing one's own research. I think this is a dangerous cultural trend whether it be Steno related or having to do with life in general.
In regards to stenography, how did people choose this career? Did you hear a rumor that it paid really well for minimal education requirements and go right to the nearest stenography school and sign up? Would you commit to buying a house without ever seeing it, evaluating it, looking at the neighborhood around it, schools in the district, the size of the yard, etc., based on someone near you saying here's a number you can call to get into this great house, but you have to buy it now. WHAT???
Again, I'm not saying things don't come up along the way that you will need immediate guidance for or a quick answer to a question, but let's evaluate the over saturation of useless information on internet forums and groups. When 12 people within a month have posted something like, "What is the base salary for court reporters?" and then 20-35 people respond to each post with a different number based on location, type of job, etc., you then have an over saturation of pretty much useless information because it depends on where YOU want to work, what type of work YOU want to be doing, how many hours YOU want to put into a steno job. These things cannot be fettered out, specifically, on an internet forum or group. The responses you will receive will be based on OTHER people's experiences and specific career paths. Would it not be better to sit down and make a list of what YOU want out of a career and take those few moments you would otherwise spend posting on a group or looking at funny cat videos and Google yourself some answers from reliable sources on the World Wide Web?
I think it is wonderful to learn from others who have experience doing what you want to be doing. For example, stenography. There are several people I admire very much in the field of Steno. They are all doing very different things with this skill and are amazingly successful. I want to know everything that is in their heads that is steno related. The forums, groups, blogs, and other automatic information generating places on the interwebs are a great way to accomplish this goal. However, do I take everything they say as biblical reference to be followed to a T? No. What works for one person may work for me, but it may not. That's where the research part comes in.
Do I want to write short because some speed champion does and I'll never pass the RPR if I don't write everything short? NO. Because that doesn't work for me. Do I want to write short because 35 working reporters responded to my post asking, "Should I shorten my writing?" NO. Because I will only get 35 different or similar responses that all really end in the same response, which is do what works for YOU!
That is the cultural shift I am talking about. We all want an instant answer to the tiniest questions because we are all striving for some sort of real human connection that validates what we are doing and how we are doing it.
All I am really saying is that maybe all of us should take a moment before posting a question or discussion topic and evaluate a few things: 1) Can I find my answer in a few moment's Google search? 2) Has this topic previously been addressed? 3) Will my question help me as well as others to have a variety of answers from those with experience? 4) Can I take the information offered in response as a place to start thinking about how it will apply to me? Or to give me somewhere to start looking for more information that will be beneficial?
“We learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the answer itself.” ~ Lloyd Alexander
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