Musings…Textpectations

Texting has changed the way we communicate.  Think about it! 

Now we Type. And somehow we all agreed that communicating in cryptic abbreviations, passive-aggressive punctuation, and emojis was more efficient.  So entire conversations started happening without a single full sentence.  I have some grievances around it.  For instance:

Lost in Transmission

We say “lol” when we’re not laughing. We send thumbs-ups to end conversations we don’t know how to finish. Just the letter“K” can mean “cool,” “okay,” or “you’ve just ended this relationship.” And don’t forget to read through your text before sending, because auto-fill does some weird things. This happens a lot.  One small typo can summon up quite the unexpected meaning.

Text: “Running late! Be there soon, just kidnapping some coffee.” Translation: “just grabbing some coffee.” Autocorrect had… darker plans. Not meaning to start my morning with caffeine and a felony.

“I had a long day… can’t wait to get home and seduce on the couch.” (meant; snooze)

All this compressed form of language prioritizes speed over meaning, which changes how we express feelings or resolve misunderstandings. Without vocal tone or facial cues, texts can be misinterpreted. Emojis have become crucial tone indicators so what used to be grammar, is now emotional context.

I detest texting for that reason. Many times I’ve made errors in judgment and have been confused (and have confused others) via texting.

Oh; and how about those awful looking ear buds that I still refuse to wear?  The ones where you forget that people don’t really talk to themselves (although some do) and where people don’t pay attention anymore. I just said hello to an acquaintance twice and he didn’t even respond because he was deep in earbud mode.

Then there’s the expectation for instant replies.  Silence gets interpreted as disinterest. Can You Hear My Silence? Relationships can feel more connected, or more exhausting because of constant availability.

Sure, it’s faster. But is it better?

Texting has made us more available than ever, but strangely, it also feels like we’re more alone together. We edit ourselves mid-thought. We avoid discomfort by ghosting. Even our deepest feelings come with a character limit now.

I’m not anti-text. I’m just more pro-connection. I just wonder if we’re trading clarity for convenience and if someday, we’ll look up from our screens and realize we’ve forgotten how to really talk.

Don’t get me wrong; I text like everyone else. It’s convenient. It’s fast. Sometimes, it’s even sweet.

But I do wonder if we’re editing ourselves into oblivion. If we’re saying less and interpreting more. If being “reachable” 24/7 is making us feel more distant, not less.

Just things I’ve noticed. Through the tiny glowing rectangle we all keep glued to our palms. Apparently, as a collective, we seem to be all fine with this.

Have you any pet peeves of your own regarding this?