I wrote a text the other day and found myself writing what I was thinking which is quite different than thinking what I’m writing. As each word was being produced by my brain I started thinking, “is it always like this because I know it’s not always like this.” I can remember certain times I was texting that the text might take me a couple of minutes to write because I was phrasing each word carefully so I could get my message across in as few words as possible. It’s almost like the the non-thinking text is myself talking whereas the other type of text is me drafting a letter. I could never remember a time in my life where I felt like texting was talking.
My talk text made me envision two teenage girls sending 100 messages back and forth in the course of an hour because each text might be as simple as an expression. I suppose you’d refer to this as a text conversation. This post is probably dating myself but this isn’t a common scenario for me. Sitting at my phone responded back and forth with no delay would be my worst nightmare. I imagine that this is probably considered normal for certain people and they would engage in how I described my “talk text”. This will start to happen to younger generations with more frequency as smart phones become engrained in our society further and further. Danger lurks.
The reason I’m not a fan of texting, and if you’ve tried to text me you know this, is because I don’t like the idea of having to respond promptly. My brain isn’t triggered that once I’m being texted, I immediately have to respond. I can go hours and sometimes even days between my texts. I won’t check my phone for hours regularly. Just today someone texted me at 8am looking for a quick response and I didn’t even see it until 9:42. I think my age range is probably the last generation who will not be hooked by texting. This brings me full circle back to talk texting.
Texting becoming a substitute for talking is bad. I feel texting should be held to a higher level. Amusing anecdotes, witty responses, clear cut information. Today JKash texted me “remember when I blocked you that time on a break.” That made me laugh. He’s bringing up some horseshit play where I got sand in my eye and started tripping and flung up some ball that traveled 2 feet over my head because god knows that’s how much ups he has. Nevertheless, if he called me to relay this story I’d think to myself, why the hell are you bringing up something that happened 10 years ago, but it was perfect for a text. I will rarely text a business associate because calling seems more professional. Texting is a social means of communication that should stay that way.
that play did happen and it was badass. one on one break with you dribbling the ball and nothing but jkash between you and the hoop. you underestimated jkash mutombo.