Speaking of the texting/cell phone generation

[Guest]

I read a great article the other day that beautifully illustrates some of the things that can be missed out on in lieu of texting:

Part Time Authors: UR TXTNG 2 MUCH

It concerns me that kids and young adults miss out on so much face-to-face, real communication and interaction. I've seen how it's adversely affecting the dating lives of my nieces and nephews. I have a friend who spends so much time texting and posting about her life that I think she's missing out on a lot of it. I've been at parties with her where she and her friends are posing for pictures that make it look like they're having an awful lot of fun, but really they're just posing for FB pictures most of the time.

Maybe I'm turning into an old fuddy-duddy, but I think people need to put their phones down more and look at each other more often.

[beefche]

I I've been at parties with her where she and her friends are posing for pictures that make it look like they're having an awful lot of fun, but really they're just posing for FB pictures most of the time.

Ok, that is just funny!

[Dravin]

I can get the incredulity over texting someone sitting right next to you, but it seems to me he's putting a lot of investment into holding hands. He could have just asked her vocally to the same effect. Would he be complaining then because how dare he short circuit 'the dance' of hand holding? Not everyone is invested in injecting as much neurosis as possible into interpersonal relations.

[Guest]

I don't think the hand-holding specifically was the message of the article, so much as trading in real experiences for typing back and forth. People are forgetting how to talk in person and how to make real and lasting relationships and meaningful experiences.

[EarlJibbs]

What a great article. I think we are losing alot through text. I myself LOVE to text for simple items, not discussions. If it is something that cannot be communicated within One to Two texts with only using "yes/no" questions, I call the person. Or go and visit them if you need to.

That being said, I still text alot. Maybe I could cut down more. But unfortunately texting isnt going anywhere. Thanks for the post!

[Guest]

Ok, that is just funny!

It is! They're all going, "Do this! Okay, now do that! Oh this will look so funny!" And I'm thinking, ". . . or you could just, you know, have fun." I don't go to those parties anymore. I'd rather be home with my family.

[Dravin]

I don't think the hand-holding specifically was the message of the article, so much as trading in real experiences for typing back and forth. People are forgetting how to talk in person and how to make real and lasting relationships and meaningful experiences.

Like I said, I can get the whole texting someone sitting right next to you thing. It's just he spends ~2/3 of the article going on about how such an approach to hand holding isn't neurotic enough. It doesn't invalidate the general concept, I just find it a little weird.

Edited May 9, 2012 by Dravin

[Guest]

Fair enough. I just thought it was descriptive writing, but I can see how it could come of as neurotic.

[Dravin]

I do have to say there is a certain irony (okay, a rather mild irony) with this sentiment being posted in an technological medium rather than being shared face to face. :)

[Guest]

You know, I wonder if I can adopt the "texting my husband sitting right next to me" instead of yelling when I'm in my uncontrollable anger moods... that would be cool.

[Guest]

You know, I wonder if I can adopt the "texting my husband sitting right next to me" instead of yelling when I'm in my uncontrollable anger moods... that would be cool.

We've had discussions/disagreements over IM before when it's an especially emotional issue for me. The problem is, you miss so much context of body language, voice inflection, etc. that things can be misinterpreted. But that's still better than screaming and throwing stuff, I'd guess.

[applepansy]

You know, I wonder if I can adopt the "texting my husband sitting right next to me" instead of yelling when I'm in my uncontrollable anger moods... that would be cool.

I think texting an argument while in the same room as the person could be an interesting solution and worth looking into. It would require rules. Such as no talking, no bad language, etc.

Why I think this would work is because my parents got along best when they had to write each other letters. LOL (Long story behind that). Now they are older and Dad can't hear, Mom can't communicate well...it still works. Instead of letters, its shorter notes.

On texting in general I agree that the texting generation is overusing this tool. I text my kids when I'm not sure if I'll be interrupting something (work, date, etc.) Then they call if they can. I don't abbreviate (example: L8 = late) GRRRRR... I use full words and even punctuation. Always gets them rolling their eyes at me. Its not too bad because my youngest is 24. Now when my grandson starts using the latest in communications I'll be in trouble. LOL

Face to Face communication can be emotionally risky. So I understand why they text so much but we have to risk a little in life to get the big rewards. Kids are missing out.

[mhsmd]

I have to admit, the author has a point. The build up to hand holding is what makes the holding of hands so awesome at first. It totally took me back to my first time holding hands with a guy! So wrth it precisely because of the anticipation! But back to the matter at hand.

I remember dating and communicating almost solely by text, because I have always been a little afraid of talking on the phone. I hated the lack of body language, the way tone and pronunciation was garbled in transit, and texting offers some "body" language (i.e. emoticons) with no pronunciation mistakes (oh, but the grammatical murders I've witnessed!). At the same time, I've found that my peers really don't seem to have the same awareness of tone and body language that I do. I think attention to body language has more to do with how a person was raised and individual personality. Of course, there are other things interfering with interpersonal interaction. My ex used to go to his friends' house every week . . . where they would all sit in different rooms or face different directions and play CoD together. Perhaps my generation sees face-to-face communication as more risky because we just aren't accustomed to it, and we know that we have an alternative.

When my husband and I were dating we would ALWAYS text each other, which I stopped when I realized how much miscommunication was happening. We simply had no alone time, so we would have private conversations via text while sitting next to each other. Then we started skyping, which is a much better method of long-distance communication! I see texting as something to hide behind because face-to-face communication is too nerve wracking. It's for pansies in such a case, imo.

Edited May 10, 2012 by mhsmd

[pam]

I thought the article was great. I didn't find it neurotic at all. Just a great article on how some have lost the art of interpersonal relationships and the small things that can bring joy. I can remember when I was much younger going to a theater and kind of going through the same thing. I actually could relate a lot to the whole description of getting to the final hand holding. And yes...sometimes it was euphoria. :) Not necessarily the hand holding..but the whole sequence of events getting there.

[bcguy]

both of them then exited during sacrament outside to chat from opposite ends. If I had the ability to hack cell phones I would have msg her saying "Dear child, why hath though left sacrament? Is thou not important enough in your life to be worshiped on this sacred day?