[QCWA] How human communications fail

[Vic Culver]

*According to an article in the 'wikipedia' -- a free on-line 
encyclopedia, this is how human communication tends to fail. Although a 
humorous presentation, we might wish to think about these as 
possibilities as we write, speak with others, and attempt to communicate 
by whatever means.  I wanted to get this out well before April 1.  Vic, 
W4VIC
*

*Wiio's laws* are "humoristically formulated serious observations about 
how human communication 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_communication> usually fails except 
by accident" made by Professor Osmo Antero Wiio 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmo_Antero_Wiio> in 
1978.^<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiio%27s_laws#cite_note-1> 
^<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiio%27s_laws#cite_note-2> 
^<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiio%27s_laws#cite_note-3>

The fundamental Wiio's law states that *Communication usually fails, 
except by accident*. Here's a quick summary of all laws:

 1. Communication usually fails, except by accident.
     1. If communication can fail, it will.
     2. If communication cannot fail, it still most usually fails.
     3. If communication seems to succeed in the intended way, there's a
        misunderstanding <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Understanding>.
     4. If you are content with your message, communication certainly fails.
 2. If a message can be interpreted in several ways, it will be
    interpreted in a manner that maximizes the damage.
 3. There is always someone who knows better than you what you meant
    with your message.
 4. The more we communicate, the worse communication succeeds.
     1. The more we communicate, the faster misunderstandings propagate.
 5. In mass communication, the important thing is not how things are but
    how they seem to be.
 6. The importance of a news item is inversely proportional to the
    square of the distance.
 7. The more important the situation is, the more probably you forget an
    essential thing that you remembered a moment ago.