In the editorial cartoon, a doctor talks with a patient but the message comes out as: “I’M NOT VERY GOOD AT DELIVERING BAD NEWS SO YOU’RE PERFECTLY FINE.” The funny scene shows an important point in talking clearly. Good communication is needed especially in health settings where mistakes lead to trouble.

The cartoon is about verbal communication (subtitle: Rule-Governed). Words follow rules that are needed to arrange and send messages well. When these rules break down, as seen here, confusion comes. The doctor is afraid of saying the wrong thing, leaving the patient confused and not knowing whether he has a serious problem. This shows why communication rules are important to send the right message.

I have had instances where I’ve experienced failures in verbal communication. For example, I’ve had teachers try to explain complex math problem to me. Sometimes the teacher uses unclear language or skips steps, thinking that it’s common sense. This leads to a failure in verbal communication. However, if the teacher breaks down the problems and speaks in simple terms, I am more likely to understand the concept.

This cartoon is a reminder that following the rules of communication ensures that messages are understood and received in the way we wanted. Thus, clear communication is very important to every day life.