Texting is basically the greatest thing ever invented. You can do it on the treadmill, in a crowded waiting room, from the toilet, and especially when you’re drunk, all while avoiding the unpleasantness of an actual conversation. While you probably won’t be trading in the text message for a phone call any time soon, here are some key things you are missing out on when you’re obsessed with texting:
- Voice inflection. You miss out on a ton of information when you communicate only by text. While typing like this or LIKE THIS can help you infer tone or inflection, it’s impossible to fill in all the material you would get by simply making a phone call.
- Boundaries. You know that text conversation that just never ends because someone keeps picking it up the next morning? Nonstop texting makes it impossible to set up boundaries with your friends about when they can have your attention. Socializing time is literally never. Over.
- The ability to forget. Trying to let go of that rude comment your friend made or hurtful thing your boyfriend said when you were fighting? It’s a lot harder to forget when its right there staring you in the face every time you open your conversation.
- Assurance that you won’t be ignored. No one has the option to just not respond to you in person. Even if they walk away without saying anything, that still communicates that the conversation is over. Being ignored via text message can drive a woman crazy.
- Inaccessibility. Your friends and acquaintances know damn well you are checking your phone constantly and therefore expect access to you 24/7. While it’s perfectly rational to expect some alone time or downtime from socializing, your friends know you’ve seen their text message and therefore will be upset if you don’t respond in a timely manner.
- The ability to bail. Face to face or phone conversations always come with an ejection button if you decide you want to bail. Classic examples are telling someone you have to use the restroom or run to put money in the meter, or saying on the phone that you are about to drive through a tunnel or have to hang up because a cop is behind you. With the text message conversation, there is no bail option. It just sits and waits for you to pick it back up or face the pain and rejection you caused your friend by never responding.
- Being present. If you’re obsessed with texting you’ve probably taken at least one break from reading this article to text, which is great, especially if you’re texting this article to all your friends. However, sometimes you miss out on truly being present during an important experience. You should probably tuck your phone away for weddings, special dates, and any other important moments you want to truly experience.
