Problems of texting

Since texting has started becoming affordable it has become the norm between people.

Texting has taken control of our lives; an average person in 2010 received 88 text messages per day. Although compared to phone call which was 17 per day. I got this statistic from an article I read called "We Never Talk Anymore: The Problem with Text Messaging" by Jeffrey Kluger. 

In my opinion texting has become a hindrance. I say this because it stopped our generation from forming social skills. In Kluger's article he mentioned "Developmental psychologists studying the impact of texting worry especially about young people, not just because kids are such promiscuous users of the technology, but because their interpersonal skills — such as they are — have not yet fully formed" I have noticed myself that it is hard to form conversations with people on the streets. That everyone has to be a mutual friend to actually have decent conversation. If you sit on a bus most people are in there own bubbles looking at their phones instead of socializing. You can sit on the same bus in the same spot everyday and I guarantee most people wouldn't remember anyone. It's messing with our social skills because we feel more awkward to talk to strangers. On the internet we can talk to strangers all day and not have a problem. 

We also develop this thought that we should get replies back instantly. We send a new message to our crush and if they don't message back as quickly as possible we think they hate us. We also developed this thought that it's okay to reply to a text message in the middle of a conversation . We all have done it. You know you did it on a date, or at a restaurant. Texting has it's advantages but it hinders us from other people. It hinders us from making plans with friends or even making a phone call. Most people sit at home and text there friends with no plans of ever hanging out. 

Texting has also stopped us from making phone calls. As texting became the norm people aren't comfortable talking on the phone anymore. I remember when I didn't learn how to actually hold a decent conversation on the phone until I was at least 14 years old. I didn't feel comfortable with how I sounded or knew what to say and it would always give me stage freight. A lot of people suffer from this and never learned how to cope with the feeling. Texting just seems easier and more comforting because you are in control of what you say. You have time to think. Texting can be fun at times but if we are all glued to it. How will we ever improve our social behaviors?