[w0de0]

> we never were really communicating that well to begin with?

We were not. A majority of humanity has been merely semiliterate since at least the advent of radio. As this came before secondary (high school) education became ubiquitous, I suspect that sublime, true literacy has only ever belonged to a minority.

And, of course, language is wholly imperfect to its purposes, a perpetual kludgery, even when commanded by the purest poet.