Please To Explain
Can someone explain cellphone texting to me? I don’t get it. It takes much longer to send a text (between typing and scrolling through menus to select actions and recipients and whatnot) than to just phone someone. And, if you’re expecting a response, it’s totally faster to just speak than to text and wait for a texted response.
Yet loads of people text.
So: why? Is it a mechanism of social avoidance? Is it fun? If it’s not efficiency, then what the heck is it?
Posted in Ranting |
September 21st, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Honestly, I’m not even sold on the whole cell phone concept, but then I’m usually in one of four places, so I’m not hard to track down. Were I a little more of a wanderer, I would probably think differently.
September 21st, 2008 at 11:14 pm
You’re assuming that everyone actually picks up the phone when called. Can you think of anyone who doesn’t? Think real hard now.
September 22nd, 2008 at 12:33 pm
It’s one of those in-between things. When I text someone it’s to report or say something quick, and no rush on the reply, if one is even required. A text message beep is less disruptive to where your recipient might be than a full-fledged call.
September 22nd, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Two weekends ago Mr S. and I were at a restaurant having breakfast. When a chick walked in and sat at the table next to us. She was so close I couldn’t talk about her. But, I was wide-eyed with surprise. Mr S. told me to text him, and we tore that chick apart. Spaghetti strap shirt, shorty shorts, stretch marks everywhere, and super heavy. I love that I can smack talk people in a polite fashion.
Other than that…I use it to just leave a message. Most people carry their cells around more than they check VM.
Once you get used to texting it is quicker than VM. You don’t have to wait through peoples dumb messages.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
from my blog -
On the topic of antisocial curmudgeonry….
I got my cell phone last year and most of my friends were shocked. I got it primarily so my agent could contact me wherever I might be. Because acting stuff is usually very time sensitive, I couldn’t give her my home phone number and here’s why: I stay away from it for extended periods of time. I don’t check the messages. Even when I’m at home and it rings, I often don’t answer it. Why is that, you ask? I hate phones. I hate talking on the phone. You can probably hear this in my voice when I’m talking on the phone with you - I am succinct if not curt (sure, I’m abrasive all the time, but I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt to detect the subtle differences). I think it’s ridiculous that people give phones such a priority in their lives - that when the phone is ringing they’ll stop whatever they’re doing - cooking, working, interrupting a conversation they’re already having with someone else - to pick it up. Phones are decidedly inconvenient more than the converse most of the time, draconian and rude.
I didn’t give out my cell phone number to others until I absolutely had to. I don’t want people calling me when I’m not home - but that’s a little unreasonable these days as I am sometimes away from home for 24 hours. I have a specific ring so that I know when my agent is calling me. Often if my phone rings any other ring I simply don’t answer it. Sometimes I don’t even look to see who called, especially when I’m at my day job or otherwise occupied. I always know when Deanna calls me, because she doesn’t. She sends me a text message and that’s why I call her Best.
So the deal is, you can call me - but don’t expect me to pick up the phone or even get back to you in a timely manner. I usually save up my messages until evening (I get a better rate then anyway) and make my call-backs then, if I remember.
The ironic thing is I check my email almost hourly. Sometimes when I see that someone has called, I’ll email them rather than call back to find out what they want (I’m looking at you, KRL). This bypasses the torment of having to wade through small talk and irrelevant tangents. Text messages are also fine, though I don’t always reply to those either unless there is a specific question that I am expected to (and can) answer.
So for future reference, barring emergency here is the Official Toren Atkinson Flow Chart of Social Interaction Annoyance:
4: Email (to either of my emails, I check them both)
3: Text message to my cell phone (if you don’t have a cell phone yourself you can go to http://www.rogers.com/web/content/wireless-text/send_sms and just type it in on a regular keyboard rather than navigating the morass of cell phone buttons)
2: Call my home phone - like the message says, if I don’t call you back in a few minutes, I’m probably not going to call you back that day.
1: In person
0: Call me on my cell phone
And now you can never claim that you didn’t know the reason I stabbed you to death was because you had the wherewithal to call me on my cell phone. After all, everyone reads my blog!