The Ill Communication

Something has been happening to me a lot lately and I am hoping it is not a trend. People are starting to initiate contact via one medium but ask for a response via another medium. Most notably the text message asking for a phone call back. I am unwavering in my belief that the medium you are contacted in is the medium you should reply in. Which is why if you text me asking me to call, I text you right back.

Why does this matter you say? It matters because it illustrates the laziness that technology continues breed in us from a communication stand point. By no means do I feel technology as a whole makes us lazy. But today now so more than ever the lines of communication, due to the advancements in tech, have encouraged us to take up a greater amount of relationships in a much more impersonal manner. As we expand our network we become practiced in more and more impersonal relationships. As such, the new relationships we develop start to have an impact on previous personal relationships we have that extend beyond the bounds of the web. Which brings me back to my point of lazy communication and more and more people texting to ask for a phone call.

For the online world there is greater variance due to the numerous vehicles of online communication. For instance, if you email me I can email you back, or just as well send you a tweet, Facebook message, or ping you with a Gchat. And in my mind all of these are within the rules. The communication all stays within the electronic realm. And no, just because a text comes from a phone doesn't mean it is in the same realm as a call. We talking about talking vs. typing.

I have certainly received the FB message or an occasional email saying "let's catch up, give me a call." I so badly want to write back and let them know they have my number they should pick up the phone and give me a call if they so desire; I would be happy to talk.

And here is the thing. Never ever do you get the flip side of this occurring. Have you ever had someone call you and leave a message telling you to shoot them an email when you get a chance? I think not.

The whole act of typing a message to someone to request they initiate verbal contact is a simple passing of the burden.

"Hey man, I haven't talked to you in ages"

"Dude, I texted you last week and told you to give me a call"

Somehow the individual who was too lazy to call and instead chose to spend 35 seconds to send you a text has put you at fault for not keeping up in the friendship.