What is semiotics?
Semiotics is the systematic study of sign-processes and meaning-making. A sign is anything that conveys a meaning. Meaning is not a thing in itself, but a relationship that is formed as a result of the process of communication. What this means is that in order for a sign to exist, there has to be someone to interpret it, and it is through communication that interpretations develop into permanent systems such as language, traditions, and customs, which shape our habits and values. Therefore, in everyday life, we all necessarily take part in the world of signs and meaning(s).
How can semiotics be useful?
Knowing how meaning is created enables us to understand and therefore direct the reception or interpretation of meaning(s). Moreover, because everyone is constantly (un)consciously interpreting the meanings of the signs around them, many misunderstandings and conflicts are the result of communication, signification, and interpretation. Therefore, semiotics can be a helpful tool in understanding, solving, and also avoiding misunderstandings and conflicts.
The Big Picture
Nothing is completely static, unchangeable, and separate from the rest of the world. If cultural, social, and natural phenomena are often looked upon as separate from each other, in semiotics the focus is on their relationships and connections. Every problem in and of itself is understood as a complex phenomenon helping us to see the even-more-complex Big Picture; semiotics highlights different contexts and the changes occurring within them.