The Opportunity Cost Of Communication
By Robert F. Abbott

So, why don't we communicate more? I think we all agree that more quantity and higher quality both would be welcome. But, it never seems to happen, does it?

And, why doesn't it happen? One reason is the ‘opportunity cost’ of communication. The term ‘opportunity cost’ comes from economics, and refers to the need to sacrifice one thing for another when our resources are limited.

If a cup of coffee costs a dollar and a newspaper costs a dollar, you can't have both if you have only one dollar. If you buy a coffee, then your opportunity cost is a newspaper, and if you buy the paper, then the opportunity cost of that decision is the cup of coffee.