Last year when I started text messaging, I was excited to get out of the dark ages. I know everyone has been texting for years, and I used to text before I was married, but to save money my husband and I opted to not text for awhile. After many questions and hurtful remarks of "Why didn't you text me back?" Or, "Don't you have text, I've tried to get in touch with you three times now!" we decided it was within our budget to start texting again. Also my husband has customers who actually prefer to text for service calls instead of taking the time to call him.
Text messaging has the upper hand when it comes to convenience, but there are instances when calling is more appropriate and polite. You wouldn't send a text saying "OMG, Aunt Edna is dead".......or would you? What about sharing moments of joy; "I'm engaged!" or, "It's a boy!" Sometimes text messaging comes in-between what should be special moments of sharing joy, or sharing pain. We have become reliant on text to let our spouses know we love them, or tell a friend "Happy Birthday." What about a nice, old fashioned phone call?
I'm guilty here as well. I'm too busy sometimes to tell a friend hello, or ask how their new job is going. With a text I can still let them know I care, without taking the time to call them. So.....does this not negate the gesture of kindness? Am I in fact saying that: "I DO want to know how you're doing at home with your new baby, but I DON'T want to take the time to call you because it will probably take 20 minutes I don't have."
I know you guys have some thoughts on this.....let me know what you think. What's your "Code of Ethics" on texting vs. calling?
My Sanity Saving Tip: When in doubt, take the time to call. Hearing your voice means more than seeing a typed message.
I've made it a point to start calling people more often on special occasions like birthdays and holidays. If I can take the time to type Happy Birthday I can take a few minuets to call and say it in person. I think we use it as a backup and people aren't getting that talk time that they truly need. I think sending a happy birthday text or a facebook text is just as bad as sending a happy birthday e-mail. I would rather send a card or call the person.
ReplyDeleteOooooo! I love this blog post! Kyle and I have never had text messaging on our phones. Actually, I even took IM off of facebook because it "annoyed me". I just feel like with as many different ways as we have now to get in touch with people, we are really more disconnected when we rely so much on typed words over a hand-written letter or phone call. Also, I really really hate it when I am spending time with someone and they are sending text messages or playing games on their phone while they should be spending time with the people that are sitting right in front of them! Another thing - I don't think people should be able to get in touch with me no matter where I am or what I am doing - sometimes I'm busy, dang! Okay, I'll step off my soap box now. You should write a post about texting do's and dont's!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback, ladies. I too have started trying to call people more, but I still find myself texting during circumstances where I know I should call. I hate to say it, but I feel like texting has sort of made me socially inept when it comes real life conversations...almost like I don't even know how to talk to people anymore!
ReplyDeleteAnd Shaelyne, my BIGGEST pet peeve is texting during mealtime. Hate it. I seriously get so infuriated that I want to throw the guilty-persons phone out the window! I might just snap one of these days and do it!!