No Need To Call

The phone has changed from being a piece of equipment that would ring every so often to a piece of technology that can receive everything imaginable (text messages, emails, facebook and twitter notifications).  In her book, "Alone Together", Turkle explores the notion of children and young adults using the telephone more for receiving messages rather than taking a phone call. 

Cell phones have evolved into something ordinarily used to make a phone call into something a teenager or anyone can multi-task on doing just about anything (text messaging while listening to their music or searching the web).  The phone call is becoming more obsolete every day.  Another thing is the voice mail, i know some people are just like me.. if i make a phone call and the person doesn't answer, i hang up and send them a text message to call me back or message back.  Text messaging is so much more convenient these days but it does has it's downsides.

Text messaging, emails, facebook and twitter notifications are very convenient but are very impersonal.  It lacks the actual tone of the voice speaking (sarcasm, serious, funny).  Text messages are a lot of the times misunderstood because of this reason. 

We have become so adaptive to text messaging because it is so convenient that if someone doesn't respond immediately or within 5 minutes we become paranoid that we did something wrong or wonder why the person isn't texting back.  Most the time the person is busy or just cant text back but there are those people that feel they are obligated to check their messages, even while driving (which we talked about in Dr. Pam Wilson's class).  They have even started coming out with new applications and technology for phones that let you recognize or see if the person you texted read it or not.  This cuts down on the anticipation but also brings into effect controversy with relationships that you have. Maybe someone did read the message but was in a conference or meeting with someone and couldn't text back.  The person who sent the text gets irate or curious in why the person didn't text back because they know that they read it, but why! This brings relationships with friends or whoever you may be texting controversy and arguments.

It feels like we're always connected to someone with our phones.  We are always 'on call'.  Which sometimes it is good to just get away and leave your phone somewhere you cant see it.  Or go somewhere there is no cell phone service.  I went to a small trip this past fall where there was no cell phone service and it was weird, but very relaxing.  It makes me wonder if people were satisfied more with their relationships in life with just having a pager or no phone or having these new technologies for phones today....