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Debate: The effects of texting on the next generation.
By excluding our earliest communication channels such as sound and visual cues (non-verbals), are we not creating a species unequipped for interpersonal communication?
Furthermore, producing a byproduct of negative dependency for avoidance, and ultimately alienation?
Closing Statement from Nicholas Ashley
I would like to extend my earnest gratitude on the thoughts of all who participated, your insight has been valuable and as a whole might be included in a project/paper I am working on for school; I thank you all.
Interesting points made by all, as thought provoking directions guided the discussion into areas I had not thought of yet; some I had. I found it interesting that some din not feel texting affects our ability to interpersonally communicate and that we needn’t be concerned; even chalked it up to similar hysteria resembling past generations. Others found an effect possible, perhaps warranting further exploration. I would have to agree with concerns written language and texting is having a negative effect on the ability to cohesively formulate a properly constructed sentence (academic criteria), I see evidence of this all over campus; though research shows otherwise. Interesting point, people are born with the ability to communicate non-verbally (NV) but most do not control nonverbal cues. However, NV’s are so important to communication thus replaced with symbols during texting in order to exchange feelings normally visualized through body language. Also, Social Anxiety Disorder caused by texting (lack of) effecting drug usage; interesting possibility. Likewise inference, we do not create our own world, therefore we are not in control of our forms of communication; curious. For the record, I agree we would be wise NOT to text and drive!
Once again I would like to express a warm thank you for your time and thoughts and I hope I covered the essence of our discussion in my closing statement
Ciao / Nicholas
Ken brown 30+
Here are some words i've found used with me.
K
KKKay
ty
tanku
m8
i dt no y
Dem
Dat
Ne1
Yus
What i find interesting is everyone has a unique texting signature and you can spot a friend by some words they use because of the way they combine letters/numbers or spacing in their responses. It's hard for people to go without their phones for two days in a week, it's like watching someone going through withdrawal symptoms, if you don't believe me try it for yourself. Kids are bored to death these days, they get instant updates and get frustrated when you tell them they are heading into a no reception zone, the disconnection fear is palpable as they try and play phone games waiting til they can reconnect. Have you ever seen an adult lose the plot because he can't connect? I have.
EDIT
Do you think people are unconsciously trying to assimilate it all in 2 clicks and get angry that the data that they are searching for is not there? Have you noticed that kids send one letter texts more than they send full sentenced texts? The compelling urge to answer a text and if not acknowledged could result in a barrage of unrealistic self induced stress texts?
Theodore A. Hoppe 200+
Nicholas Ashley
pat gilbert 50+
Lars Mews
Ever met a person who was blind, deaf, or mute? Did they appear unable for interpersonal contacts?
Non-verbal communication is not learned, we simply do this-and most of us can not control our non-verbal communication throughout our whole life, what makes it a lot more complicated.
And it is a little funny, don't you think? Before mobile phones and internet became popular, everybody complained that children do not write enough, just use the phone for hours and watch television all time. Now they write text more than probably ever before (the quality of text is a different topic) and again its the end of days coming...
John Smith 30+
You sound like one of those people in the 1950s complaining that Elvis Presley corrupted the youth...
Ken brown 30+
Robert Winner 50+
However, I am sure that or some who have troubles communicating can now express themselves by texting.
My grandparents thought that rock and roll would bring the end of the world. The twenties brought short skirts (the husseys) The 60's brought hippies and drugs ... this would bring funny looking kids and fry the brain ... this one may have been true. The point is that every generation the old ones say the young ones will never amount to anything. Unless the business world and the education system change drastically there will still be requirements to read and write as we know it and by doing so will require interspersonnal relationships.
Of all of the things that are happening in the world that may change our lives ... this ain't a biggie.
All the best. Bob.
Nicholas Ashley
I too suffered from a form of Anxiety, Separation Anxiety. I turned my phone off recently for academic reasons (I find it funny I had to explain why my phone was turned off, another discussion perhaps) The point is, for little less than a week I suffered from not having my phone. I would constantly reach for my phone, even if I didn’t need it, and I knew I did not have it. Little by little I would reduce the amount of times I reached for my phone until little less than a week later I stopped doing so. It was as I imagine weaning off of a dependency would be
It is true we humans communicate using a variety of channels besides text-messages, though we remove two necessary channels when using text messages. No sound, we have been identifying communication with sound since birth, and now we remove it. Also, are visual cues not crucial to communicating efficiently with one another? Some people say, “We use symbols and capitulation to express visual cues.” To this I say yes we do, however are those enough to replace the volume of Non-Verbal communication one experiences in face to face interaction?
I find our youth gain access to technology (phones) early on nowadays, children as young as 9 and suspect younger. Also, it is interesting how text-messaging is increasing expediential in a relatively short amount of time (early 90’s to Now). Personal communicators are here to stay; I do not see trends slowing down.
Has anyone noticed how many people walk around glued to their phone, giving off a message to not bother them, they are busy; ergo avoidance. Aforementioned, my phone separation anxiety experience (dependency), more people in their phones, less face to face interacting and less use of skills previously mentioned, thus diminishing necessary skills for non-technological comm
Tyler Hill
Looking at the next generation, I do not only see lack of ability to participate in interpersonal communication as an effect of "texting", but also the possibility of social ineptness. "Texting" gives the user the ability to hide behind technology and not convey any sort of honest emotion. The user does not have to actually speak WITH another human, but rather can just speak TO another human.
Worst-case scenario, "texting" will be the imminent downfall of the interpersonal future.
pat gilbert 50+
Lejan . 30+
sterling brewer
the subject of how text messaging has affected the younger generations in terms of interpersonal communication could be interesting to look into, though. i'm just not sure how much it has actually affected peoples' ability to handle forms of direct (non-technology aided) communication. is text messaging responsible for dependency on avoidance, or will it become responsible? it just seems a little strange to be thinking that, considering how much direct communication and exposure a person has in their lifetime before they are even close to being old enough to own a cellphone. no matter how normalized text messaging becomes, direct forms of communication are still an absolute necessity to society and one's life. the world will never be deprived of that.
David Hamilton 50+
sterling brewer
i'm sorry if i'm coming across as rude, i just really don't understand.
could you clarify about it directly contributing to these things?
David Hamilton 50+
As to the connection between SAD and technology... It doesn't exist... SAD and texting.... It very much exists. Why are you typing with your thumbs when you could be having an actual conversation? It's a weird way of remaining a bit more detached from the person you are communicating with.
If you start texting people at 12 for example, when your social skills are not yet fully developed, you are going to spend far less time practicing the skill of conversation, than if you call people. That makes conversation a more rare experience, and a more difficult one, you are less comfortable with. The less time you spend conversating, the worse you are at it. The worse you are at conversation, the more negative experiences you have while conversating. The more negative experiences you have conversating, make you more likely to avoid conversations in the future. The more conversations you avoid, the worse your SAD is/gets.
Derek Young 30+
David Hamilton 50+
To me... This is common sense. If you spend less time talking to people, and more time texting, especially starting at 12... You will get worse at talking to people. It's a skill, you have to work on it to get good at it. The worse you get at the skill, the less you will want to talk, the more you will want to text, and the more out of practice you will get with actual conversation.
As your skill atrophe's, you become intimidated by social situations, and begin to feel foolish and out of place. It seems only natural that this is a major contributing factor to the huge rise in social anxiety disorder to me. But, no most psychologists would insist, we're "discovering an already existent phenomena"... Not creating a new one.
Feyisayo Anjorin 50+
Fritzie Reisner 100+