Think back to how much our communication has changed in only the last 10 years. In 1999 I had my first ever cell phone--it was this huge 'Motorola' that had this flimsy antennae and these soft buttons that were hard to push. The cost of it was insane. 'Free minutes' were not invented yet.
We have progressed so rapidly in terms of cell phone technology, instant messaging, and text messaging it is quite astonishing. Since Al Gore invented the internet the stock on the word 'dot' has gone way up. Seriously, how often did you really use the word 'dot' before you had to say 'dot-com' about 10 times a day? Nobody really uses that expression: 'dot the 'i's' and cross the 't's' all that often do they? Other than that, 'dot' really never came up. Well, except my sister...she had a landlord named 'Dot' (her name was actually Dorkus but she went by 'Dot'--can you really blame her?) so my sister was very used to saying the word 'dot'.
Along with the the increased use of text messaging and instant messaging, people have created a new 'text language' to go along with it. How many times have you used the letters: 'tks' instead of writing out 'thanks', or 'u r' instead of writing out 'you are or are you'? What about 'ppl' instead of writing out 'people'. There are 1000's of abbreviations that can be used, but my question is this: why?
Are we really that lazy or too pressed for time, that we can't add the additional 3 or 4 letters? What are we really doing that we are too busy for this? Typically when I am texting someone I am bored to death doing nothing so I begin texting. I mean, texting in itself requires a very focused attention--small buttons, and you need both hands so I simply can't be doing anything else. Others who are using their blackberry's are the same--they are usually sitting on the bus or in a cab, or on route somewhere, so the additional letters are really going to put your schedule off? Pure sillyness if you ask me.
How did people function pre-cell phones? Forget about pre-cell phones, what about pre-answering machines? Remember when the phone would just ring and ring and ring with no voice mail picking up? Driving from place to place without any means of an emergency contact?
When you think back about how much phones have changed our lives in only the last 15 years it is remarkable. Is it a good thing that we are all connected all the time? I don't always answer my phone. Sometimes I just don't feel like being on it, but I have been around people when my phone is just ringing and it makes them very uncomfortable. Try it sometime...try just letting your phone ring while you are with other people and watch their reaction. Afterall, just because someone is phoning me it doesn't mean I am obliged to talk to them does it? It was their choice to call and talk to me, not the other way around. Why should I have to stop what I am doing agaist my will?
Don't be a prisoner to your phone and quit being lazy.
2 comments:
I think the correct way to ask your first question is: "y?"
I like to taunt people with not answering the phone. Especially at home, when I know it's no one I want to talk to.
I tell the person that I a with that I am talking to them and it would be rude to pick up the phone. Honestly I get annoyed when am I in a converstation with someone and they stop to answer the phone. I have asked a couple of them if they have voicemail or not. I mean it's one thing if it's your kid or something, but they'll answer no matter who it is.
The who shorting of the words I kind of get for long text messages. That's why I have purchased phones with full keyboards. I didn't text for years until I got that.
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