Cons of Texting

Technology has came a long way and will continue to improve and explore unknown territories. One of the new things discovered is texting and while texting is helpful it has a lot of disadvantages and downfalls. If texting could be listed as a skill, many of my friends would qualify as highly skilled in that area. I am glued to my phone and always texting so I know firsthand just how much texting can be abused and its less than helpful qualities. Texting kills some good old fashioned phone call conversations, face time, and is making annoying phrases part of everyday talking; texting is an obsession for many people and is doing more damage than most people know by damaging people’s people skills.
I remember whenever I had something to ask or tell someone I would just give them a ring, now a day it’s just a text here and there. I’ve forgotten what some people’s voices even sound like. Most always I text before I call; from work issues to just contacting my mother and it makes the issues less personal and sometimes can be perceived as less than important. My mother tells me all the time that if the issue was that important I would have called instead of sending a text. Texting also opens the window for anyone to say almost anything, especially things they wouldn’t say not only in person but on the phone. It is easier to say things over text since you can’t see someone’s reactions if it’s something unpleasant or weird, I know from experience that I resort to sending an awkward or unpleasant texting to avoid a face to face talk or even a phone call. I’ve gotten some creepy texts as well from people I know who would never have enough courage to say what they texted to me to my face. Texting can take a 5 minute phone conversation and turn it into an hour ordeal, instead of calling my friend to ask her what she is doing and her plans later, I’ll text instead and the wait for a reply and all the small talk actually turns out to be pretty time consuming. Texting in short is pretty lazy, I don’t understand why most people will take more time to send texts than to pick up the phone and call whom they wish to speak to; it’s much simpler and personal. Texting is affecting everyone in ways we’re not even aware of.
Texting happens frequently, whether it’s in class, work, while shopping, during church, or even when driving, texting is always going on. Texting is distractions best friend. I’m currently texting while writing this paper and am often stopping to reply to texts matter of fact. There are some people who care less about texting but for majority of the population texting is pretty vital. I’ve seen people drive down the road, swerving all over with a phone in their hand, just to send a text and I admit I’ve been guilty of driving and texting but I do try to avoid it and there has been quite a lot of accidents due to texting and driving so texting at the wrong time can be fatal but most of the time texting can just be procrastination at most. I can think of many times where I’ve put off something to have a text conversation with people. Recently at work we got banned from having our cell phones up front because we neglected our duties and customers because we were too busy texting. Texting hurt our work performance and I know it happens amongst other people at all kind of businesses and most places just have to wear you’re not allowed to be on your phone. Sometimes I catch myself just staring at my phone waiting for it to light up with a new text or to hear the text beep go off and while I don’t think of how ridiculous I’m being at the time, the moment I see one of my friends doing the same thing I make fun of them. Texting is something that is often abused and the distraction it brings causes big consequences.
I never really sit still without checking my phone at least 10 times within the hour and I know people who are even worse than me. I can think of countless times I’ve been sitting at the dinner table or a movie, just texting, completely ignoring my company and what they have to say because I’m so wrapped up in my conversation and I’ve seen it plenty of times with other people too. I’m convinced; however, most people do not know just how much this affects their social life. Who enjoys hanging out with someone if they enjoy texting other people in their company more? I surely don’t. I’ve been out with my friends to the track in Destin and as we’re about to be lifted to sky fly the poor guy working had to stop lifting us to take my friends phone because she was trying to text; in mid air! People are too obsessed with their phones and the need to tell anyone random things just to text. I have countless texts that are along the lines of ‘just saw a cat kick a rock’ just absolutely pointless, random things people say and not to mention all the phrases and abbreviations. LOL, I always wonder if someone is really laughing when they say that. Often I have to Google new phrases I’m texted, there is way too many to remember and most are dumb. Texting is having a huge affect on peoples spelling, while someone might think its okay to write brb, lol, smh, ttyl etc. it’s not okay to write in a paper or to say in real life. I’m sure everyone’s heard someone accidentally say loll in real life. Texting may not be all bad, but it has many downfalls and disadvantages that most people are not even aware of. Texting appears to be harmless, helpful, and simple but when actually it’s more complicated, time consuming and socially damaging. Many people are starting to call texting the future downfall of humanity, maybe a little too harsh but not too far off.