Clicking echoes around the room as girls and boys from the technology generation type away on their cell phones between classes. Nowadays more people text, not only teenagers and young adults. No one calls anyone anymore. Face-to-face communication has started to diminish among the cyber world of text messaging.
Between the hustle and bustle people endure nowadays I feel meaningful communication disappears in the midst of wireless quick bits of what you can hardly call a conversation. First the Internet allows for the quick delivery of messages through e-mail, giving technology the first boost toward electronic communications. After e-mail, instant messengers became the next high-tech communications device. This allows for people to have long conversations at that moment without the use of a phone, removing the personal contact of the human voice. Finally, the instant message expands to wireless ability on people’s cell phones: text messaging.
With the ever-growing fear of saying something wrong or stupid, a text message allows the sender to review what they want to say. It gives the receiver time to decide how they want to respond or even if they want to respond. I notice that text messaging permits people to speak their true feelings without fear of seeing or hearing the reaction immediately. It also allows for short spurts of information while on the go or unable to call. Nowadays people’s short term memory decreases with electronic help, so actions must occur immediately. Text messaging allows for people to send messages quickly without having a full conversation on the phone or face-to-face.
According to a survey from Pew Internet and American Life Project, an estimate of 68 percent of young adults use text message. As the texting generation grows older, more adults use text messaging. Teenagers communicate through texts to their parents, colleagues, or older friends, bringing texting to the workplace. Pew discovered that 31 percent of people between the age 28 to 39 text and 18 percent of people the age of 40 to 49 text. I overheard a 30-year-old man at dinner one night discuss his text message relationship with a girl he met. He never called her, he only texted. With the increasing number of cellular phones, texting increases every year. In June of 2005, a report stated a monthly total of text messaging was five million. At 14, I received my first cell phone, but 50 percent of 10 to 18-year-olds have their own phones. The revenue from text messaging in the year 2006 was $4.3 billion, reported CTIA, the wireless association.
Text messaging can do more than solely communicate between people. Reality shows, televised contests and the news allow people to have input. With online polls and text-in voting, the audience has become more involved in the media. Shows such as “American Idol” allow people to text in their votes. Survival shows also allow not only the people on the show to win money, but the audience to text in answers to questions in order to win money, such as “Treasure Hunters.” Some polls do not affect the show’s outcome but add pure entertainment value. “Project Runway” polls its watchers during commercials, asking them what they think will happen or what they think of the contestants. These answers have no effect on the show, but make the public feel more involved.
Not only shows, but businesses use text messaging to do many of their tasks. Dan Youra, creator of a Web site for anything and everything youra.com, gave examples such as travel services, bars, couriers, doctors and mechanics using text messaging to send information to their clients or employees.
This allows the companies to quickly communicate while on the go. Travel services use text messaging to distribute promotional data or airline specials. Bars or clubs can text message people who signed up for special promos to keep them up to date on events. Couriers can remain in contact with their companies and customers can receive information on their packages. Even patients can receive reminders about appointments from their doctors. Texting has evolved to a more useful purpose than just friendly conversations.
“Only a decade ago SMS [short messaging service] text messaging was in its infancy and for a long time was considered a toy for teenagers, but now it is being used for a bewildering array of things with many businesses coming to depend on it as a flexible and mobile communications,” said Youra. “Text messaging has become part of everyday life, so it makes perfect sense that businesses should be looking to utilize it as a flexible communication tool.
Text messaging seems wasteful at times, but it connects friends, helps the public impact the media, and even improves business’ work methods. I have found texting to be a useful and convenient way of communication, but when it comes to friendly chit chat, nothing can beat face-to-face. But business’ and media polls excel with the easy and handy wireless input texting allows. With text messaging, our world seems closer together. Communication may seem less personal via text, but it permits communication to span large distances at any time and to anyone.
Anyone with a phone that is.
