Digital Communication: Is Texting Making or Breaking Human Relationships?
“…and that’s how it started.”
The alarm does its best to wake you up, but you rarely put up with it. Before fully leaving your state of sleepiness, there’s anger inside you. You deserve a treat for this, right?
Your brain knows where to look. Maybe there’s a sweet text from yesterday’s conversation. The reply in which you slept, or maybe your boss texting you’ll be off today.
It doesn’t matter what, but you automatically slide your hand searching for the phone. You’re no more in control of this habit anymore.
Honestly, we both know you’ve lost control for the entire day now. Text after text. Day after day. Countless times you’ve waited for a message to arrive. Tears of pain or joy lived over it. Using it as a pillow at night is not a surprise anymore.
Because Not Only Mom Loves Texting Now!
Mom texts dad the grocery list before he gets back from work. They rarely talk longer than that with each other, since they belong to a whole different generation. We’re the ones to take texting a step further. Okay, a few steps further!
To the point we’re so badly entangled in virtual conversations, they take a good chunk of our life. They say we spent one-third of our life sleeping. I’m afraid we might end up spending another third texting! It wouldn’t be surprising, although alarming as hell!
Anyway, I still believe that, as with the hammer, texting can be used to build and destroy. It’s up to you how to use it, and to make a good choice, you need to observe what a hammer does. Here’s how the “hammer” destructs.
Remember When You Almost…
No matter how strongly we try to control our emotions and actions, crashes are inevitable. Misunderstandings are inevitable, but when done over texting rather than face-to-face, you can avoid physical damage.
At least once you’ve texted someone “I’ll kill you!”. Friends lie, kids do mistakes, and more serious relationships have these both. Not having these people in front of you the moment you’re told the truth avoids major hurts.
On the other hand, texting makes lying easier. There’s less pressure for them to tell the truth when texting compared to when being in front of you. Texting’s a powerful trait we can’t control.
Sure that I Heard You, but What Did You Say?!
While reading this, there’s a What’s App notification popping up on your screen. A new email arrived.
You’re trying to find a good movie on the TV while thinking about a Facebook post, and replying to your colleagues, friends, and more-than-friends at the same time.
We’re battling every day with attention-takers. At this very moment, we’re trying to buy your attention with words. Where does attention go? Where there’s more importance or emotions, sure. Words make you feel, but never to the extent a coffee talk can.
When I sit in front of you, you see my eyes moving, hands explaining, and face color change. There I have your full attention that I can never get through texting. Not seeing people’s faces, doesn’t let you fully comprehend their emotional state. You’re less empathic, but not by choice.
My phone is off now. It’s the only way to make me focus on writing the article. While it’s off I’ve left many conversations interrupted. The girl I was speaking with wants to know if we’ll meet, my cousin wants to know if I’d buy the bread for dinner, and a friend was badly stressed.
I had to put all those on hold. By choice. But what to do when you don’t have a choice? Conversations are left interrupted, while both sides are left thinking. Clocks ticks and we don’t fully focus on what’s in front of us.
Use texting this way, for a better world!
Everything invented can be used to do bad. You can kill someone with a pen, but you can use it to fill the application that’ll get you a paying job the next day too. You can go on and on with such comparisons, but now, let’s look at how we can use texting to express ourselves better.
Big Is Not Always Better!
Writing format means a lot. AVOID USING CAPS UNLESS YOU WANT TO PISS OFF PEOPLE, or get FIRED, like Vicki! There’s a story about this accountant girl from Auckland named Vicki Walker, who got fired because her work emails were all in colors, bold, and full of CAPS! Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
Don’t Forget to KISS!
Take a moment to break your ideas down into easy-to-read paragraphs. Keep them short and simple. Text one idea at a time to avoid confusion.
Breaking your long sentences into smaller ones works best for busy people.
People love bits. The brain too.
They trick attention.
Make them think only one thing.
Like this is the end.
As this is the last sentence.
When there could be 163 more words coming!
Two More Senses in Use
Ask yourself: can call or facetime? Definitely won’t be the same as having the person in front of you, but it’s better than texting. You get to see and hear the other person, this lets emotions flow better.
“Talk to You Later”
Avoid multitasking. Stop saying to yourself that you can handle it if you’re a bit faster. You’re truly dedicated to nothing, and end up sending vague replies. Instead, put off the conversations for later when you have time to be fully engaged in it.
Almighty emojis!
Thank God our keyboards are rich with emojis and animojis that speak a thousand words! Make use of them. You save time and express more, but make sure other people put up with them. Weird as it may sound, a few find “emoji talk” annoying, but in most cases, they facilitate conversations and win attention.
This article was originally posted at www.gledwritesforyou.com
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