Creative Reaction

Possibly before some of us were using e-mail, Edward M. Hallowell, M.D. was writing about the importance of face-to-face communication and the drawbacks of e-mail and even telephone calls. He speaks of the “human moment”, ”an authentic psychological encounter that can happen only when two people share the same physical space.” The Human Moment has, according to Hallowell, two prerequisites, “people’s physical presence and their emotional and intellectual attention.”

His theory, explained in a 1999 Harvard Business Review article, The Human Moment at Work, (the first page of which is available for free here) was later expanded into a book, though one aimed at a much broader audience.

Boston.com features a great article with Hallowell’s ideas in a business setting in its jobs section, specifically as it applies for young workers entering the job market, and with some excellent insights. Worth reading.

It would be hard to argue against the theory that Human Moments, featuring face-to-face interaction, are essential to human well-being.

Being intrigued by the above articles, I just checked out Hallowell’s Human Moments: How to Find Meaning and Love in Your Everyday Life from the Library. Look for additional mentions of this book in future posts.