Electrommunication??

 

Communication used to be much easier but due to the 21st century and the new era of texting and e-mails, conveying one's true meaning is not so easy these days.  There is a major roadblock because a lot of people find it convenient and do not want to be bothered with the "old school" way of communicating i.e. calling on the phone! However, due to this lazy approach of speaking we are hurting ourselves because it is very hard if not impossible to understand the meaning behind a typed word v.s. hearing someone audibly. This is a new phenomenon and happens everyday in regards to work, friends, family and so forth.  How could you possibly know what the person really means through a typed sentence? Without hearing their tone of voice or easily explaining what they mean, it is no wonder that there is so much confusion that leads to major arguments and falling outs.  This is unnecessary and could be easily prevented if more people understood this.   I once went out on a date with a guy that told me that he only communicated through texting and never on the phone with one of his former girlfriends! That sounds inconceivable to me!!!

Technology is not 100% fool proof just like everything else in life and not every phone call, voicemail, and even e-mail gets sent even if you think it did. This one particular incident happened to me with one of my oldest friends: We had this trivial and ridiculous argument about making plans for a group of us to go to the beach. He was gathering a large group of people and he told me that I would have to meet him there because his car was too small to fit everyone, But after he rejected my offer of driving everyone because I drove a large SUV,  I misinterpreted that as him implying that he did not really want me to go.  First it started through texting and then eventually led to e-mails being sent back and forth about how we both thought we were good friends and couldn't imagine how we didn't think of each other in that way.  He told me that he always tries to be the best friend he possibly can and he cares, and I was defending myself and saying the same thing but I didn't think I was being treated fairly (all because of a dumb argument of going to the beach.) At the time I was mad at the principle behind this obtuse argument. I thought he really did not want me to go hence why he told me I would have to meet him there. After I sent my last e-mail expressing how I felt, I never got one in return.  I found that very odd because I have known this very good friend of mine most of my life and knew it was not like him to ignore me.  He is one of the few people you will meet in life that cares so much about his friends and will always make sure to respond even if the argument could get ugly. He doesn't even hit below the belt and he will admit when he is wrong.  Needless to say, I was very surprised that he never e-mailed me back.  I let it go because I was the one that was upset in the first place and he just decided to ignore my response.  Well, a few years passed by and I thought of him and realized that that argument was so ridiculous and how could I not try to get back in touch with him and say hi? My mom had run into him a few years prior and told me that he had told her that the "ball was in my court." I was on vacation at the time and I told my mom I don't understand how that is possible since he never responded back to my e-mail! Well, as luck would have it I reached out to him years later and it turns out, via phone conversation that he had e-mailed me back and I never got it! He even looked back in his sent emails from years ago and read the e-mail verbatim! I could not believe it. I told him that I never received anything and we both agreed that this never would've happened if this "argument" was said over the phone or in person.  That is just one example of a million others that always happens through electronic communication.  Unfortunately, most people prefer to still incessantly text and do not feel the way I do. I find it easier just to pick up the phone  v.s. texting. It is so much quicker to communicate orally v.s. having to text, especially when you are busy walking or driving. This poses a lot of obstacles in every facet of life but I do not find in my personal experience (s) many people agree with me, especially when it comes to dating. I find incessant texting when you are dating especially challenging and annoying:   

What happened to guys that you date calling you on the phone instead of resorting to texting? It takes out the romance & instead replaces it with mixed messages & miscommunication. I'm sorry fellas, but incessant text messages filled with verbose words & emojis is impersonal & has no feeling/meaning. That could never compare to hearing the guy's voice and his emotions audibly. 
I can't believe I'm saying this, but when I date a guy who actually uses the phone most of the time, I consider that a plus in my book! Sad, I know which is mostly due to technology. 
Well, as I always say, there's plus and minuses to everything.