Curse of Text Messaging

Like anything, there are pros and then there are cons. This blog is just one of my rants on something we all do in our daily lives but how the cons seem to outweigh the pros at times. I have written a blog a couple years ago on why text messaging can be damaging. You can read it here.

So the pros. I definitely DO text message. I'm not gonna lie. I use it constantly. When I am not looking to have an all out conversation with someone, or need to keep active (as I usually am) but continuing a discussion, I text message. If I have a quick question for someone, I will text. If I need information and need to remember it, I know having on a text instead of writing it in a note pad can be a helpful reminder.

But there's an entire other side that scares me. In our society, people are becoming a little TOO comfortable hiding behind these phones. The loss of social skills is alarming. People do not know how to communicate. People do not know how to express. Or people wait to say things until they are behind a machine because they feel they can say what they want to say, but never learn to listen to others. Those people will flip it around and say that they're the ones not heard, but it goes both ways.

People don't know how to talk any more! it's ridiculous! It's SAD. I am with a group of people, we are all sitting waiting for something. I am the only one without my face in the phone. I sit at a table in a diner, everyone's phone is out, checking Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and emails. I find it rude, insulting, and socially inappropriate.

Now I am not excluding texting all together. If you're conversing with people and still send a few texts here and there, that's okay. But if you're completely isolated from the people you are with, WAKE THE HELL UP! At my house, I have a little basket where you drop your phone in. If you're visiting me, you're visiting ME. I want your attention, and you have mine. There is NOTHING that important, unless you're waiting for something urgent you know about ahead of time.

If it's important, you pick up the damn phone and CALL. The last few years, and this is my favorite, people just KNOW exactly HOW the person is speaking on the other side of the phone when they text. (I am being sarcastic here). People read text messages and put emotions that are NOT there. The above picture says it best: Text messaging is a great way to miscommunicate how you feel, and how to misinterpret what other people mean. The DANGEROUS thing about that is people will take their own interpretations and let their imaginations run off with it! The decisions and actions made and acted upon afterwards are what causes the drama and stupidity to follow.

The really really sad thing to me is when grown adults do it. Unbelievable. UNBELIEVABLE! I am ashamed to say I fell off the band wagon and began doing just this also. But when I saw grown adults do it, it snapped me back to reality quite a bit. I am holding firm on my original roots and certainly not going to fall for that, what I will call societal trap! If you have something to say, pick up the phone, especially when it is important enough and SPEAK. When you are with people, learn to TALK. Express appropriately, communicate effectively, and learn to intro people's eyes.

That's my rant! (BOWS)

Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO