Texting and email can be wonderful and accurate tools for tracking and communicating information. They can also be the worst communication tool in the world when applied to important and emotional communication.
I know, I keep using that word....communication. But really that's what email, texting, videos and music really comes down to, right? No one, except for those blasted spammers out there, send any information, whichever way they choose to disseminate it, for no reason. They are trying to communicate. These people are trying to relay information from one place to another.
Now, some....no, unfortunately many, many people out there misconstrue email and texting for an effective tool to be used to communicate information that should only be delivered in person or over the phone. Why? Let's try using Mr. Brain for a change and think before we react, shall we?
I have some news that I know is going to cause an emotional reaction and have a profound impact on the realtionship I have with Mr. X. Now what I should do is pick up my phone and call Mr. X and realy the information in as delacately a fashion as I can listening to the tones of his voice and making sure he understands that what I am saying doesnt need to impact our relationship in any way. But no, what I do is break out the microscopic keyboard on my phone and type with my thumbs a short and sweet message to Mr. X outlining the facts of the situation. I mean no malice on my part, I am simply trying to relay the information. Now I send the message and I wait. Hmmm, this is taking a long time, why hasn't he responded back, what is he thinking? And thus the thinking starts on my end about the situation, playing scenarios of doom in my head so that when his response comes back it hits me like a ton of bricks!
His response is: "Thank you for telling me that.".......that's it? That's all? I see what's happening, he's judging me, he's rejecting me, he doesn't like me anymore.
On the other end of the message Mr. X sits in stunned silence mulling over what this may mean to our realtionship and hopes that it will not adversely effect it. He didn't know how to respond so he responded in as generic a way as he could. He has a lot of emotional baggage he has to wade through and this news has caused a lot of the negative past to rise to show it's ugly head.
Meanwhile I am fuming and feeling guilty so I send another message: "So, I guess this means you're done with me?!" Mr. X responds in kind and we go back and forth....soon there is nothing left but scars that can't be healed and the end of a realtionship, all because I couldn't get off my lazy ass and use my voice for a friggin' change!
I know, you're thinking this is silly, this is stupid, no one would ever do that!
Wise up and start smelling what your shovelling. This has not only happened, it happens every day! Relationships end, fights start, misinterpretations run rampant, and we still insist on using text and email as a viable way to communicate emotion. What a farce!
You may be thinking, well obviously you don't have that problem being so articulate like you have been in this article. You seem to have relayed the emotional state you're in pretty well. May be, but you will notice that it has taken me a few more letters than the traditional 160 that you get for texting....by the way, that 160 includes spaces....
Take it from a person who has witnessed this first hand one too many times of late. Use your voice, not your thumbs when communicating important or emotional information. If you're asking what someone is up to, that's pretty safe. If you're telling them that they are no longer going to be hanging out with them, get some balls and use your voice!
Have a nice day! :)
No comments:
Post a Comment