Never in recorded human history has it been easier to communicate. A message can be sent from across the globe and received in seconds. Take a moment and think how amazing that is! It is easy to take for granted all the technological advances we have made in the last 20 years. With that being said, it has also never been harder to communicate and have meaningful conversations in person.
A new form of communication has emerged in the form of texting, which became abundantly popular and convenient with the rise in popularity of cellphones and smart devices. I am here to declare, just because it is convenient does not mean it is good–similarly to cooking a steak in the microwave. Texting is slowly breaking down the ability to communicate accurately and easily with other human beings.
One significant problem with using texting as a primary form of communication is it cannot always properly express emotions and meaning. I have witnessed many situations where a text was simply not enough. For example, texting “K” in response to “Are you hungry?” is not only ambiguous, but irritating. Depending on the circumstances, an “I’m busy, not now” text can be interpreted and taken many different ways. To combat this problem of emotionless words ,there are emojis—colorful faces and animations meant to express feelings and moods. A smiley face or mad face is not always a precise expression of how one may feel.
Texting can also have detrimental impacts on relationships. I firmly believe you cannot know a person or their personality just from a text message. There is a physical and psychological barrier in place when communicating through typed out words and there is something intimate and powerful about face-to-face interactions. Emotions, mannerisms, expressions and the sound of a voice cannot be replaced or duplicated by letters on a screen.
Because many people like to text, I often find it difficult to hold a genuine conversation. Conversations can range from awkward to speechless. I have seen people text while sitting right next to each other. To me, that makes no sense and is an obvious sign that people are finding it harder to communicate in person. Texting offers comfortability and safety. Words can be said without immediate consequence or action.
Communication is a vital part of life. Words and how they are expressed share equal importance. Being able to communicate and understand another person is an invaluable asset that is becoming scarce with more reliance on texting and other impersonal forms of technology. I implore everyone to engage friends, strangers, family and significant others in more vocal conversations.
