Don't Shoot The Messenger!
Asking for a friend: is there an antidote for terrible texting? Maybe a nice gemstone or crystal to rub on your fingers in the cool way you see tarot readers and astrology enthusiasts do? OK, fine, I'm asking for myself.
I operate on either end of the spectrum when it comes to texting: effusive paragraphs almost effective immediately or one-word answers within a two-week timeframe. In real life, however, I like to think that I am a generally articulate human who is active in whatever conversation she engages in.
There are lots of people out there who respond to texts in a timely manner. Unfortunately, I'm just not one of them. In fact, as I live and breathe, I currently have six unread messages clogging up my inbox.
Whoops; now make that seven.
Sorry, Lily, I'll reply later.
But it's got me thinking: why am I such a bad texter? It's not like I am deliberately ignoring anybody. I'm not going out of my way to be rude or mean or whatever. Like, I like to think I'm a pretty good human being - I work hard, I smile and thank bus drivers and other TFL staff, I hold the door open for old ladies who scowl back at me in confusion (this is London, after all!). Yet, somehow, in the virtual world of instant gratification of immediate social interaction, I sometimes come across as don’t-care-ish, forgetful or, worst of all (at least to me!) lazy.
I guess the real question I’m asking is: can you still be a good person if you’re a shit texter? And the answer is “yes” – I mean, I’m living proof! LOL I’m kidding. But let's be real; the way a person messages isn’t always indicative of the entire scope of their personality. Mum, I’m not that scatty, I swear! It’s just that, whilst some people are always on top of their texting game, others of us can't quite seem to get our digital communication together.
Maybe it’s because all of our personal networks consist of a rainbow of different personalities. Just like you know what makes different friends tick, you cater to that complexity on your digital channels. I guess the more deeply you know someone, the less likely you are to worry about The Protocols You Must Obey When Communicating Via Phone Messaging. Texting responsivity can be based in your knowledge of who it is you’re actually replying to. In short, if I know you can wait, you might just have to xoxo.
I also think that it’s partially down to the fact that, whilst I may always have my phone on my person, I’m not always on it. I really enjoy disconnecting from my network for a bit of time every day. It lets me just focus on myself for a bit; I think that’s really important. And, despite the fact that it's supposed to be easy, it can sometimes feel like texting takes up too much of your time. Unless I’m travelling and have the time to compose a message, or am sat with nothing to do, you expect me to have a full conversation with someone who isn’t sat next to me? You want me to type out an entire sentence? Who has the time for that? (As someone who writes stuff for a living, this is slightly concerning!)
Nevertheless, I completely understand that some people value a speedy response; I guess it all depends on the message at hand. It would break my heart if someone misconstrued my slow (ok, slooowww) response time as indifference, applying a sort of “Kerry doesn’t really care” logic to our friendship. That alone is worth thinking about my texting protocol.
In short, I guess I’m just trying to say I love all my friends and value them (and their text messages) equally. And I promise I will get back to you. If not in this lifetime, then definitely the next!
No comments
Post a Comment