Texting Isn't Perfect, but It's Here to Stay

Texting has gotten a bad rap lately, which is ironic because most people my age (Generation Y) do it. We do it to communicate, we do it to socialize, and we do it because we can. A lot of parents figured out pretty quickly that paying an extra five to fifteen dollars a month for unlimited texting plans was worth it, as opposed to paying overage fees. So that's where we are right now. People text and aren't going to stop anytime soon.

I recognize that there are some problems with texting. For example, many accidents nowadays result not because drivers are talking on the phone, but rather because they are reading or sending text messages. This is a problem, but there is little that can be done to prevent it other than to increase awareness of the dangers of texting while driving.

Another problem with texting is that it contributes to a sort of social attention deficit disorder. Many, many people are distracted by their phones during meetings, lectures, classes, meals, and other events because they are busy texting friends. Even dates are interrupted by the vibration of phones and the distraction of one or both parties. I have heard stories about people texting one another when they were in the same room with nothing preventing them from talking. Whether it is an obsession with texting or an addiction to instant technological gratification, many people cannot put down their phones.

So texting, at the wrong time or in excess, can be a problem. And more and more people are developing these problems at an ever-increasing rate. But texting is here to stay. People like it and people won't stop doing it. And despite the problems with texting, it is still a useful means of communication.

The biggest advantage of texting is that it is a fast and non-obligatory form of communication. It might take fifteen to thirty seconds to send a text message to a friend, which is the same time that a person could wait before a phone call would go to voicemail. If you have a thought, plan, or idea that can be communicated in a sentence or two, it's easier to transmit that idea in the form of a text message than to get caught up in a phone conversation that could go on for five to ten minutes. And if you want to arrange an event with more than two or three people, sending out a mass text message is the most economical thing you can do with your time.

Another benefit of texting is that the person with whom you are communicating has a saved copy of what you've told him or her. If you're giving directions or detailing plans, this can prevent time and confusion. Likewise, people can usually respond to text messages more quickly than they can respond to missed phone calls, for example, at work.

So while there are several problems with text messaging, such as texting while driving and cultural ADD, text messaging is useful and is unlikely to go away anytime soon. However, people need to set limits for themselves and their friends, such as never texting while driving and being vocal if the driver of a car in which they are a passenger begins to text while driving. Whether a limit such as this is only texting between certain hours or turning one's phone off entirely during dates, certain boundaries tend to make one's relationship with texting healthier.

Texting has a time and a place, and it's not all the time or everywhere. When you are spending time with others, be with them physically and mentally. Turn your phone off or put it on silent, and don't feel bad asking them to do the same. You'll probably enjoy yourselves more in the end, anyway. Thank you for reading!