Is text messaging slowly replacing the human touch in real conversations?

Singapore
January 14, 2010 9:24am CST
With the rising popularity of text messaging, it seems like e good old traditional means of communicating through exchanging conversations on the phone has become passe. Messages are easily conveyed by punching in ( or rather 'thumbing' in) a few lines on their mobile and conveyed almost instantaneously simply by pressing 'SEND'. The convenience brought by technology though is worth commending but on the other hand it also has raised concerns about nipping off that human touch you get when you actually hear the other party's voice on the line. People may get so used to texting that they seldom even make phone calls now. It is really common to see people be it in the metro, shopping malls, restaurants occupied with texting away on their mobiles. Your opinion?
3 people like this
12 responses
@sk66rc (4250)
• United States
15 Jan 10
I personally don't like text messages & emails. I only use them for work & to relay something short. My girl-friend always tries to call me first & if I can't answer, then she usually leaves a voice mail. She does text message me few times but something like "could you pick up milk on your way home?" type of thing, not to hold a conversation. When I'm on vacation, I tend to use email more because I don't really wanna be bothered but need to tell somebody something, I usually email them. I think everything has its place. Emails & text messages have their uses but they shouldn't take the place of an actual conversations. I normally try to call people more often then any type of messaging.
@ykkkuan (59)
• China
15 Jan 10
Hiluck, i love sent sms better than voice on the cellphone. It is so interesting to guess what the reply that the recipient will give it to me, and i will have enough time to convince myself being calm down if we have a quarral. I think the effect is totally opposite in voice~ In my experience(the most number i have sent was 1000), there is nothing valuable way to solve issue by sending sms:)
• India
15 Jan 10
I think that you are wrong as human touch could never ever replace anything,leave alone text messaging..i think that because due the low costs of the text messaging people are using these..otherwise they will be using only calls..it is due to the cell phone operators that we are not speaking much..they have decreased the messaging costs to as low as possible and have not done the same on voice and video calls..i think that would be the main reason for this problem.. Happy Mylotting..
• United Kingdom
15 Jan 10
I think that text messaging is definitely playing a big part in keeping people at a distance from eachother. Text messaging is a good thing although it should be used in a balanced way. I think it's important to still try and communicate with people using the traditional methods. Texting is so convenient though, you just type in a few lines and that's it! I think that all things should be used equally! Andrew
• Canada
15 Jan 10
Hello Luckymichelle, I do believe text messaging is more popular then talking on the phone. Before texting, everybody hated hearing someone talk on their cell phone. Now its quiet, you dont even know if a person is texting or reading or what. I think its great especially if you need to tell someone something BUT you dont want to talk to them knowing they might start a conversation and you just dont have the time. It used to be emails now its texting and yes I do believe there wont be much human interaction soon. We might have to buy a robot to get all the "human" affection we need.
• India
15 Jan 10
No, the text message conveyed the feelings that you shy to speak up. That's why message dose not kill the human touch. It is up to you how you can use the message.
@nijolechu (1842)
• Canada
15 Jan 10
Yes I do see that talking on the cell phone is a dying form of communication. Now the cell phone companies are giving us free unlimited amount of text messages to send. People just see it as more of a cheaper way to communicate rather than wasting all their talking minutes. They just text to each other and talk later on.
@Fulltank (2882)
• Philippines
15 Jan 10
Yeah, technology brings great changes in our lives. We cannot tell what the future brings to us. Maybe the texting will be replaced by virtual conversation or holograms. But for me, one thing for sure the human touch in real face to face conversation cannot be replaced by any other technology based gadgets. But, still we never know what the future brings us.
@ankit08 (25)
• India
14 Jan 10
no i dont think that is any case.....although i believe that it is a good matter for communication becoz there are some things which u hesitate to say in front but it is quite easy to say in text message form hence i think it is no hindarence in real conversions
@kaylachan (58214)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
14 Jan 10
While I find texting convenent, I would have to disagree that its taking over casual telephone conversation. Quite often when I'm out and about on the bus, or at the mall or somewhere public and crowded I hear people on their phones constantly more then I hear the sound of texts being sent and received. So I highly doubt that texting is overpowering actual talk. Though texting does make life easier and sometimes faster then searching through the phone book, and leaving a voice mail. It puts more people in more control.
@AmandaMBF (284)
• Brazil
14 Jan 10
I think yes. Because people can say for others what they want and human touch aren't really necessary for me. I don't like this!! I think conversation need to clear what the locutor wants. And if the interlocutor understand this the tipe of conversation don't have any real importance.
@Gladi472 (82)
• Romania
14 Jan 10
yeah it does ,for example i can't tell my girlfriend something bad or yell at her in person, but i can easily text it :)