For as long as I have had a phone, my friends have pestered me endlessly about what a terrible texter I am: dead reactions, (unintentional) sarcastic responses, and having a seemingly non-existent personality. It’s even worse when trying to get to know new people. But texting is so convenient, right? You get ample time to carefully devise a response, have the freedom to reply whenever you feel like, and of course, can multitask. How perfect and commodious. Well...it comes with several compromises.
Here’s why calling is far better than texting:
#1: Intimacy and Honesty
Being able to hear a person’s voice, pace of speech, inflections, and emotional reactions reflected in their intonation makes phone calls evidently closer to face-to-face conversations than texting. Spilling juicy ‘tea’ over a call hits just differently than text! We tend to pay more attention which inevitably leads to a more meaningful conversation. It’s easy to detect disinterest and understand the person’s true feelings. You’re more likely to be dishonest when texting due to the lack of the other person's physical presence and ‘convenient’ reaction times. And, what is any relationship without honesty?
#2: Intonation and Miscommunication
The lack of intonation leaves huge room for major misinterpretations. Hell, it’s so bad that there are articles titled “How to Prevent Yourself from Misinterpreting a Text Message” and “6 Tips to Improve Your Text Interpretation” (if you too struggle with this, feel free to ask me for the links). Communication need not be this complicated—a simple yes/no should not be lost in translation. You know it’s problematic when you have to say “HAHA I’m actually laughing” to convey your true reaction.
#3: The Dreadful Wait for a Reply
The most frustrating factor of all: waiting hours on end for a reply—and this is applicable beyond the people who have the not-replying-to-texts-even-though-I-have-seen-them-because-I’m-cool complex. You send a text at 9pm, wait all night, only to get a response at 4pm the next day. It’s enraging, really. Meanwhile phone calls grant you the grand opportunity of replying right away, without having to sit in suspense.
Mid-way through writing this article, I realised the irony: a writer complaining about the ineffectiveness of written communication. While I realise the shortcomings of texting, I also admit to its convenience. But, this begs the questions: is communicating with someone worth it if you treat it like a chore? If a rulebook of complicated dos and don'ts comes attached? Simply put—no. Relationships strengthen from genuine conversations and if that’s lost, what’s the point?
Written by Saanvi Soni
Designed by Nishka Manghnani
Image by mentatdgt from Pexels
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