A little less conversation... A little more texting

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   Aneegmaposted 11 years ago

   I was watching a documentary on TV on how texting has completely replaced good old fashioned face to face communication. Apparently we have all become zombies. Especially our teens. Can you believe over 85% of teens are completely useless in communicating face to face with one another and depend entirely on texting/facebooking/twittering?
   
   I mean take a look at your normal day. When you're out shopping, in the bus, in the train when you chilling at the park, how many people do you see glued to their phones?
   
   So my question is this.. are you a modern day zombie? Do you prefer to text rather than actually speak to the person you're constantly texting? Do you find it sad that technology has destroyed the essence of human contact?
   
   I'm preparing a hub on this topic so I'd like to get your views on this so I can write a well balanced article.
   
   Thank you!

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      Uninvited Writerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I currently don't have a cell phone and I've never texted

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         Aneegmaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Bravo, you're my hero!

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      Marisa Wrightposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, I believe it.  And although adults haven't caught the disease quite so badly, we're still talking to people much less, and emailing instead.
      
      I used to think I gave up my corporate job because I was sick of the hypocrisy - but actually, it was much more because my job had changed so much.  Once upon a time, my job involved talking to people all day - whether I called them on the phone, ran around to their desk or they came to me.  I was always frantically busy but I enjoyed my job.  Email came along and took some of the pressure off, which was great at first - but gradually, it got to the point where I never had to speak to anyone, and I spent the whole day glued to a screen, communicating via email.
      
      I only realized how much things had changed when I lost my voice (for three months) and was able to carry on my job without any trouble.  Whereas a few months later, when a computer virus took out our network and I had no email for a week, I couldn't do anything.

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      Laurinzo Scottposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I am so old fashioned I guess you could call it. I love the good ol' voice, because you can hear the heart , and express yourself to that person. I though am a real throwback, cause I still do love the sound of a needle on a record. Reading a real, paper book, instead of online.  Besides people can text at the most inopertune times , and still expect you to respond. Wow.

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      1. 87

         WannaB Writerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         
         
         I don't have a smart phone and I've never learned how to use my phone for texting. I prefer conversations in person anytime, because body language is so important in communication. I don't own an ebook reader, either. With two houses and a warehouse full of paper books, I doubt if I will have any use for an ebook reader.
         
         I'm obviously considered a dinosaur, and I'm a bit upset that so many companies now want to send personal pin numbers and such important ID items by texting me, since I don't text. I can't remember specific examples, but important online services want my cell phone number so they can text these messages to me. I use it only for calling out and give it only to friends and family members.  I doubt if more than five people have it.
         
         If I can't talk to someone in person in a long conversation, I'd prefer to email them. It's really hard to say anything much of  substance in a few characters.

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      prettydarkhorseposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I don't text, I call. But a text is sweet once in awhile! Yes, we are entering a different mode of socializing and it has an effect on linguistics (how they cut words in texts) and socialization process.

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2. 84

   rebekahELLEposted 11 years ago

   I only text when it's convenient and necessary. I don't use a phone at work nor look at it except on my lunch break. I find it annoying seeing people of any age walking around glued to their phone. I think it has become more habit than anything else. I'm sure there is a fairly high percentage of texters texting for the sake of texting, not for communication.

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3. 76

   Shanna11posted 11 years ago

   I actually dislike texting. It takes up too much time. I prefer calling, so the conversation isn't terribly punctuated. I've noticed most of the teens around me have difficulty communicating if they aren't texting. I'm not complaining though-- my better communication skills helped me in job interviews, at work, with teachers, etc. It gives me an advantage over the tech-addicted.

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   EmpressFelicityposted 11 years ago

   I hate texting - it's fiddly and as a 50 wpm typist, I find it frustratingly s-l-o-w.

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5. 72

   Maddie Ruudposted 11 years ago

   I like texting for logistical things. "What time are you coming over?" or "I'm running late, sorry!" Sometimes it's not worth an entire phone call. Of course, for real conversations about real things, in-person all the way.

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      Paige Ronchettiposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I'm the same way. It's easier to communicate minor details via text, especially with certain people in my life turn every little phone call into a half-hour event.

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6. 84

   rebekahELLEposted 11 years ago

   Exactly. It saves time if you don't want to get caught up in a conversation.

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   Motown2Chitownposted 11 years ago

   I love texting for things like having actual conversations with my husband in a situation where it might be rude to be yacking away - on a bus, train, etc...
   
   Other than that, I'd rather converse the old fashioned way - face to face.  For long distance relatives, I love the phone.
   
   I'm hitting into my late thirties, but I'm pretty tech savvy.  At the moment, though, neither of us (my hubby and I) are working...so NO cell phone. 
   
   

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8. 71

   Alastar Packerposted 11 years ago

   The first realization here on how bad the disconnect is getting came in the DMV one day. A mother was talking to a clerk about her son's license. The young man was standing right there with his mother. Eventually the clerk asked mom why the fellow couldn't speak for himself. She replied, "Oh, he's too busy texting." He was at that and never said a word the whole time they were there.

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   Disturbiaposted 11 years ago

   Texting is an addictive behavior and people need to start waking up before it's too late.

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      rebekahELLEposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      For many it is. It bothers me to see young kids walking through the store with their parents and they're (kids) texting away. There is no interaction, just mindless walking with no awareness of their surroundings. If a parent can't figure out that that is an issue, they've got bigger problems ahead.

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10. 60

    Jules Gonzalezposted 11 years ago

    Aneegma, I actually cringe whenever I get a text. It upsets me! Strange to some I guess but I prefer talking on the phone then writing a text and having the person take everything I have written the wrong way. Alot of miscommunication happens that way. You have people getting upset at you because they misunderstood what you mean't in the text. Ughhh... I just don't like it personally so I guess you can call me old fashioned.

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11. 80

    TamCorposted 11 years ago

    I have a cell phone, but it's only a Tracfone, so I pay for minutes as I use them up...which rarely ever happens, lol. The phone I have doesn't have the little mini-keyboard on it, so everyone knows NOT to text me, because it would take me 10 or 15 minutes to answer them, because it takes me so long to text them back on a numbered, not keyboard-ed, phone, haha. I usually end up just calling them back--it's much faster for me, and a lot less frustrating, too!
    
    But I also very seldom even use the phone--we have a landline at home, and so the cellphone is mostly just for urgent calls, never long conversations.  Half of the time I forget to take it with me when I leave the house anyway!
    
    I have noticed how prevalent the text spelling(?)is, though.  On Facebook, so many teens and 20-somethings use that shorthand version of spelling, and I hate it--some of it is too hard to understand, and it just seems lazy, sorry!  It also makes me wonder how their spelling of actual words has been affected...

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    Disturbiaposted 11 years ago

    They now make a phone that you can actually speak into and it comes out as text at the receiving end.  Imagine, actually TALKING into your phone. If you're going to talk anyway, why not just call in the first place? We seem to have come full circle... talking, texting, and now voice turned into text. Unfortunately, this is not going to go away.  Cell phones are no longer just phones.  They are mini handheld computers that access the internet, play music, take pictures, and do a host of other functions.  Our children embrace this future... with both hands on their little mini keyboards, too preoccupied with texting to notice much of anything else any more.  It's that disconnection from the real world that I worry about. There is an 18 year old trial right now in Massachusetts for homicide, accused of hitting and killing someone while texting behind the wheel.

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    1. 71

       Aneegmaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       First of all I love your name
       
       Second of all I agree with you on how children embrace this and parents are powerless to stop this. Like the other day we went out for a meal at a trendy restaurant and there was like a family of five sitting next to us ( parents and three kids) They all sat there staring at their phones and only spoke when the waiter came up. I found that so disturbingly annoying that I went to the manager and requested that they should ban using mobile phones in restaurants. The manager agreed with me and said it was brought up in their staff meeting previously and that the majority of waiters find it extremely annoying when people are texting or facebooking whilst in the restaurants.It's like they are serving zombies and not humans. Restaurants are places to relax and interact with people and bringing mobiles kills the purpose besides making money. I do hope that it becomes legal to ban mobile phones in public places.

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13. 94

    Daughter Of Maatposted 11 years ago

    I'll be honest, I'm not fond of talking to anyone on the phone, and I'm really not fond of talking to people in person. I much prefer to text, although I do so safely. I don't text in the car or while crossing a street, etc. Texting is also a great way for me to communicate with my husband when he's at work. I can send him say something to add to the grocery list, and when he gets a break he gets the message.
    
    Don't get me wrong, I would not have an argument with him over texts, but I enjoy light conversation with him via texts. It was helpful at work as well, since we live in an area with very little reception, I was able to send a text letting them know I was running late, or calling out. If I had one bar on my phone, I could get a text out, but the phone wouldn't let me make a call! Rather annoying actually.
    
    I do think texting is getting out of hand. But if you text responsibly (not while driving, walking or having a conversation with someone else, that's just rude) I don't see the harm in it.

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    1. 94

       Daughter Of Maatposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Deleted
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          Cagsilposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          Hey DOM,
          
          Just to let you know, you should be able to edit any post you make on the forums, upto 3 hours. So, if you need to make a change to a post, adding or deleting words or sentences, you can.
          
          You should have an edit option, when you look at your own individual posts. After 3 hours from the original time it was posted, you cannot change it and becomes permanent part of the forums.

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             Daughter Of Maatposted 11 years agoin reply to this

             Hey thanks Casgil! I did not know that. I guess I just never clicked on the "more" button.
             
             You're awesome!
             
             Ha! Fixed it tee hee... Thanks again!

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                Cagsilposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                You're welcome.

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    rebekahELLEposted 11 years ago

    As a parent and a teacher, this is so disgusting to me. That is simply bad parenting. Not only is it rude, it's pathetic.
    
    
    Don't get me wrong. I have a smart phone and I love it, but there is a time and place for phone activity, and kids under 12-13 don't need the latest android, imo.

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    1. 71

       Aneegmaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Couldn't agree with you more. I'm not a parent yet but it annoys me when I see under 10 year olds on their smartphones.

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          Maddie Ruudposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          I was trying to go into a store the other day, and a 4- or 5-year-old kid was coming out with his parents--so intent on the iPhone in his hand that he basically just stood in the doorway staring at it--and his parents just LET HIM block the door for a full minute! I was flabbergasted. It's like the old parenting technique of plopping your kid in front of the television, but worse, because it's mobile, and therefore constant.

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             rebekahELLEposted 11 years agoin reply to this

             wow, I definitely would have made some icy remark, like 'could you please keep your preschooler and his iphone from blocking the entrance'. 
             
             Imagine that kid in a classroom.

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                Cagsilposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                Yeah, imagine that IN the classroom. And this is what is being taught as acceptable behavior? So much for parents leading by example.

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                1. 71

                   Aneegmaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                   This just shows how nowadays people just make babies without realizing that they have a duty to teach them some common sense etiquette. Worse off if you tried to tell the parents to remove the child from blocking the way, they would take offence and sue you for discrimination. There should be a law banning some people to be parents if they are dumb enough to give a 4 year child a smartphone.

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