As I read an article for one of my classes on the way our modern world currently communicates, I really felt that the idea of “second order information,” as defined in Ilana Gershon’s article, “How Do You Know,” really related to the idea of gaming. Second order information is an essential part of everyday communication. As it is “not what is actually said but rather the background knowledge of a situation and expectations of communication that allows one to interpret the words,” (Gershon, 2010; 123) it allows people to interpret and understand the actions and intentions of the person expressing a message through the choice of medium used and how it is expressed. We use second order information every day as it plays an essential role in grasping the true meaning of a message by guiding us into understanding how particular words and statements should be interpreted. As Gershon gives examples that happen everyday such as Facebook and AIM statuses, away messages, relationship statuses, and updates that quote lines from songs and movies to express the way people feel, second order information in a sense has the power and ability to give a desired effect of a message while not directly stating it. For example, receiving a text message from a college roommate saying “Hey! There is something I want to talk to you about” is more casual and comfortable than receiving a typed up letter from them on your bed saying the same thing. While the former scenario seems like the roommate has something interesting or exciting to say, the medium in which the latter situation is used, seems more formal and serious, causing the recipient to feel as if there is a problem that the roommate wants to talk about. The medium in this scenario is crucial in understanding and interpreting the intended message.
About a few days ago, I encountered an experience in which second order information drastically influenced the way I interpreted a message. I was talking to my friend on Blackberry Messenger when we began to debate about what time we were going to meet up for dinner. As we continued to disagree about the set time and I wrote her a long paragraph explanation of when I thought we should meet, she replied with a simple “Ok.” I then sent her a “?” as to express, “is that all you have to say to my long response?” I then saw that she read my “BBM” because of the check mark and capital “R” next to the last message I wrote meaning, “read” and did not answer. I understood this as her getting upset and making a dig at me by reading my message and not responding. Because of second order information, reading a message and not responding could mean one of either two things; she either read the BBM and did not answer purposefully in order to make a statement expressing she was annoyed at me, or she read the BBM and was busy doing something so she could not answer right away. Like Gershon explains in a similar example with denying friend requests on Facebook, this is a new way to “insult people that [you] now try to avoid” (Gershon, 2010, 131). It is clear that second order information is used daily in various if not all cases of communication as it allows us to understand and interpret a message through the means and medium in which a message is expressed.
Thinking about this concept, I have realized that the assumptions that innately come along with second order information, are essentially a form of mind games. Because second order information requires you to interpret the tone, intent, and essential overall meaning of a message through a medium involving only text, there are endless ways to interpret the intent of the messenger by only being exposed to text. In my example via Blackberry Messenger, the fact that there was no possible way to be certain of the tone of the message, is ultimately what created conflict in my mind. It could have been that my friend was simply busy doing something and was unable to answer my response in great length, or she could have been trying to make a point that she was annoyed at the situation. Regardless of her true intent, I have realized that text messaging, AIM, IChat, Twitter, Facebook, or any other medium that involves simply using words without attaching voice to understand the tone, will create conflict when trying to be interpreted, essentially playing with one’s mind. While the new technologies of today’s world move farther and farther away from face to face contact, we must ultimately remember that while doing so, we are increasing the amount of second order information, essentially using mind games everyday!
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