1. What did I expect to happen?
I expected to be disgusted, first off. There are so many times
during the day when I replay conversations in my head & I’ll berate myself
for saying such dumb things, or for not having a wittier comeback, or
explaining myself more clearly. So when I went to watch all the footage (Watch
ALL the footage!), I was actually quite impressed with my comments and
reactions. That having been said, I also expected a lot more of my
conversations to matter. It’s only been a few weeks since I recorded that day,
and there have only been two or three snippets of conversations from that day
that I can look back on and say, “You know what, I’m glad I discussed that.”
2. What actually happened?
The more I watch/listen to my phrases, the more I am convicted
of how cheap my words are. I’ll be talking now, and say a certain phrase or
respond a certain way, and just beat myself up over how I could have responded
better. Also, my friends are funny. They stuck to relative normality, despite
the fact that their every word was recorded.
3. If I did this for a longer period of time, would I change the
way I communicate with people?
Absolutely. By recording and reviewing my conversations, I would
be more aware of who I talk to, and the interactions I have with them. I would
be more intentionally concise with my words, and focus on communicating as
effectively as possible. I’ve already begun to notice when I tune people out,
or respond in ways that either curtail a conversation, or belittle the person
I’m conversing with, and it’s been really convicting.
4. Would I suggest other people do the same experiment?
Sure… Not that this is the most important or life-altering of
the experiments, but it does give a rather clear picture of the content of your
daily conversations. More convicting that the content I heard/watched, was the
content that was lacking. It was funny, really–I learned more from the people
around me–their reactions, their word choice–than I did from the words I said.
It was really challenging for me to, after I watched the footage, try to
emulate the way my peers converse on a day-to-day basis.
