To Text Or Not To Text

The following in an updated ENCORE presentation of the Tim Moore Blog:


When Alexander Graham Bell uttered his immortal words “Mr. Watson, come here, I want you”, the telephone age was born—and voice communications advanced beyond the “dashs and dots” of Morse code.

From telephone to wireless communications-and satellite phones where you can conceivably speak to ANYONE on the planet from ANYWHERE on the planet is amazing! Driving in a car at 65mph and simultaneously chatting with, say, someone in FRANCE is both possible-and commonplace. OK, maybe not France specifically, but you get the idea!

Despite these advances, I don’t believe anyone could have predicted that texting would become so popular. After all, wouldn’t you rather speak to someone and hear their voice rather than read acronyms like “LOL”? I guess the answer is no!

Young people in particular are especially enamored of typing in the message rather than speaking directly. I will admit that I enjoy getting Sports updates from ESPN on my cell phone….way more preferable to someone from ESPN calling directly to tell me. But I would rather speak to my college-age son or daughter than read their communications. Of course, I would rather text over the alternative-----ZERO contact.

For some kids, texting is out of control-check out this ABC News report on “Textaholics”:




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJU_OerCZVE

Adults can be sucked into this vortex too—and sometimes, the text is a tool we use to communicate without having to TALK to people---because we don’t really want to.

Jerry Seinfeld jokes that people nowadays call HOPING to get “the machine”-either at home or mobile voicemail. When someone actually picks up the phone, there is a sense of disappointment! The unspoken message being: “I wanted to get ‘credit’ for calling you without actually having to SPEAK with you!” In our high speed world, we can’t make the time to spell out the words—we abbreviate and truncate and omit with abandon—assuming the receiver of the message is on the same wavelength and completely understands.

Not likely.

In the real world of young people and communication, E-mail is not the thing…IM(instant messaging) is popular with them, but not me…besides, who carts a computer around with them everywhere?

I must admit that I am looking forward to “speaking” more frequently with my kids via my thumbs typing in letters—versus not have calls returned or e-mails read.

It’s just sort of interesting that we have regressed! From voice to text! What’s next? Back to Morse code? If the mobile phone companies can find a way to make a buck off sending smoke signals, they’ll do it! Might as well, since our money is going up in smoke paying the bills!