Posted on 08/17/2010 11:01:47 AM PDT by AccuracyAcademia
While baby boomers are still the driving force that controls America’s cultural and spending habits, when it comes to preferred methods of communication, they are pathetically out of the loop.
These days, phone calls are “out” and texting is “in,” which can create another area of tension between parents and their 18 to 34 year old millennial offspring, according to the Washington Post.
Young people say it’s a control thing – but it’s more likely a new media thing. The view among those 18 to 34-year-olds in the Facebook and Twitter set is that making a phone call is invading someone’s space.
Kevin Lokes, a student at George Mason University, says that among his peers, calling is viewed as “rude or intrusive.” The preferred method is to text first, and make an appointment, i.e. “Can I call you at such-and-such time?”
Many parents alternate between finding this habit downright annoying and getting their feelings hurt. However, their offspring are adamant. “Don’t call me at work if you just want to chat,” they say.
Lianna Levine Reisman, 26, sizes up the situation this way: “Answering a phone call requires a certain amount of psychological energy, because there’s something confrontational about someone calling you. You have to gear up for it.”
Deborah Lambert writes the Squeaky Chalk column for Accuracy in Academia.
If you would like to comment on this article, e-mail mal.kline@academia.org.
Heck, I’m still amazed about how radio works!
I’m 25. TOTALLY agree.
I won’t even answer my phone unless it is work related or scheduled.
I am NOT a slave to Pavlov’s Bell.
Text me. I will read it when I feel like it and reply when I feel like it. And I don’t have to put on a happy “Hi ya” voice either.
SMS rulz 1
While reading this I can accept that some among the young people in the “facebook twitter set” don’t like unexpected calls but I don’t see that as a prevailing sentiment. I’ve not seen any pervasive evidence of it. My daughter likes to text but that is more so to save on calls because she has unlimited text but limited calling during the day.
I do have a pet peeve. I don’t like being called by “Unknown numbers”. If I can’t take a call or don’t want to I just don’t answer. Caller id and voice mail are wonderful things.
(I could not disagree more.
Texting has given me a way to STAY IN TOUCH with my kids and RELIEVED tension. It is a great "in between" way of communicating.
I’m old enough to collect SS, and I like the idea, and agree with the sentiments.
I can understand what they mean. In business it’s 99% email nowadays.
It actually does tick me off sometimes when someone calls because it’s a higher priority interruption.
Not saying I think this is good. Just saying this is the way it’s become.
And no, I don’t think it’s necessarily more productive.
It must be tough to fall in love with someone in a long distance relationship that refuses phone calls and wants you to text for 4 hours.
“Gear up” for a phone call???
I'm almost twice your age and I disagree entirely.
I won’t even answer my phone unless it is work related or scheduled.
I do not have texting on my phone (it's blocked). I figure if the matter isn't important enough for the caller to talk to me then it's not important enough for me to pay any attention to.
I am NOT a slave to Pavlov’s Bell.
But you are a slave to the little buzzing (or whatever) your phone does when you receive a text. We are surrounded by people who are constantly texting each other. During all sorts of places and times when they should not be doing it. Driving, at movies, when talking with others, at dinner etc. Texting is a huge invasion of privacy.
Text me. I will read it when I feel like it and reply when I feel like it.
That's what answering machines are for. If it's not important enough for you to deal with it now, it's not important enough to communicate at all.
And I don’t have to put on a happy “Hi ya” voice either.
Always put on the incredibly cheerful happy voice. It annoys people to no end and yet they canb't say a thing about it. (OK I'm evil that way). I'm even cheerful when I'm brushing off telephone solicitors.
SMS rulz 1
This line must be written in swahili or something. I can't figure out how to pronounce it. :^)
I have never been a slave to the telephone. If it rings and it is convenient to answer I will do so. If it is not convenient, I won’t. I agree with the idea that some remote party has decided on a time to interrupt me with no regard to my situation or needs. If the phone rings too frequently and someone is around who experiences “answer anxiety”, then I turn on the Do Not Disturb button. Texting may be the preferred means of communication to the new generation but to me it is the electronic equivalent of small talk. I don’t do it in person, I am not going to pay someone for the privilege of doing so virtually. I guess I’m just getting in touch with my inner, cantankerous, old fart.
Actually, yes. Kind of.
If you call unexpectedly to ask about the Penske file, I have to 1) find the Penske file, 2) refresh myself about it, and 3) discuss it with you.
Not a big deal, of course, but it can take a bit of time during a busy day.
Whereas, if you email me and say “Larry, when’s the next hearing in the Penske case? No hurry.”, I can check a bit later and shoot you an email back.
Like I said, not a big deal. But call after call can add up all day long.
And calls just to “chat” can be really annoying or just wrong, whether I’m on company time or whether I’m self employed.
To the person above who wondered about falling in love this way, well, I guess you wouldn’t. You’d take care of that the old fashioned way, by face to face dates and maybe long phone calls at night. They still exist. I just don’t want them with business colleagues. :-)
There you are. (See above). :-)
I have a right to communicate, or to not communicate, in any form I wish. My wife loves texting, but I loathe it. If someone wants to communicate with me, they can pick up a phone and call me, or send me an email.
My dad is 80, and although he's had a computer since they were first available, he doesn't like communicating via email. I respect that, so I pick up the phone and call him when I want to talk, or I send him a letter.
Dad doesn't like cell phones, either. He's got one, but he only carries it for emergency use. He won't even give out the number. Heck, he's so old school that he refuses to keep an answering machine on his home phone.
Can’t you just say on the phone, the same stuff that you’d put in the e-mail? Like, I’ll get it later and send it to you.
Just sounds a little weird to have to psychologically gear up to talk to someone.
But John, think back to 1985 or so. The very answering machines you think are the answer (no pun intended) were deemed as of the devil by the cranks of that time. “I’m not speaking to a #$(%#& machine! If you can’t pick up, I don’t want to talk to you!”
So every era has new stuff, and cranks that want to stick with the last two decades’ stuff (but no farther back than that).
Just one crank to another....
Rock and roll is just a fad and who would EVER want to carry a telephone around with them everywhere they go?
HAHAHAHAHA!
Good bye 20th century....
Hey, I have to psychologically “gear up” to post on FR, lol!
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