Long Live the Phone Call
As technology replaces old habits with new, this is one I will fight to not die softly. Phone calls are fucking great.
Most people can agree that the phone call is beginning to die a slow death. This is probably clearer if you are under the age of twenty-four versus above. Unless you have kids and you’re one observant fellow you will agree, the phone call is dying.
I spend a lot of time with this younger demographic and I’ve wondered why they are so averse to phone calls for quite a while. Primarily because I love phone calls, and it’s not just because I’m extroverted.
Texting Beats Talking
There are quite a few advantages to texting vs talking. The primary one being you don’t have to be there, and that’s frightening. Unless you are in a fierce one on one IM fest texts have no life. They are just words on a screen, and emoji don’t really help make it any better.
Let’s say you’re watching Game of Thrones as I am. Nick, a good friend of mine, texts me, and I choose to respond. Half watching the show, half focusing on my friend. (Sorry Nick!) Whereas on the phone, I need to pause the show, be present. Listen & Respond.
Not that these are bad things but most people especially teens tend to focus on their needs and wants more than others (everyone does to and extent, we would not have survived if it wasn’t this way) and texting allows us greater leverage to do things on our terms.
Synchronous vs. Asynchronous
Leading off the Game of Thrones example, I can choose to reply when I want. If I’m busy I can just simply reply later. I don’t like what Nick said about my last post, I can ignore it.
The ball is in my court, and I own the court.
On the phone you can’t not respond, you are obliged to. You have to be there, focused (for the most part), and active. You are sharing this moment with another person and it is much more than just exchanging information and ideas. You are sharing time and a connection.
Which unfortunately I think isn’t being valued too much by my age demographic.
Why I Love Calling
I’m an extrovert and above that I just love spending time with people and having great conversation. Preferably this is in person because you just have so many more dimensions to work with but this is hard to achieve across all your relationships, all the time.
The second best thing to this (that doesn’t suck as bad as video chat) are phone calls. You are there, sharing the moment. There are no confusing typing bubbles, awkward juxtapositions, no responses. You get to have a normal, flowing conversation.
You know what else is great? You get to hear another person’s voice. Their diction, tone, accent, attitude. All these are missing from texts and decrease the quality of that encounter.
I still try to talk with every person I can on the phone. Ask anyone in my social circle. So I ask you one thing.
Bring Back the Phone Call.
Daniel is the CEO & Co-Founder of Bond Labs, Inc. Bond connects you with the people you should know and will be introducing you to great people later this year. He has a strong aversion to writing his thoughts in favor of speaking them, but if you think they are of some value it would mean a lot to him if you recommended this post.
