Sure I admit it that when my cell phone rings these days I sometimes confuse it with the door buzzard. Like many, I'm more comfortable with the da-ding of my text message alert, then the jingle of my cell phone ring. But to come out and say that you are actually bad at talking on the phone is pretty bold in my estimation. Perhaps some see a chic handicap in being so tech-dependent....In any event, you heard it here first: this week a friend of mine (let's call him Mick) recieved an e-mail from a girl he has been seeing on and off that literally stated, no joke:
"I suck at non-electronic communication. Sorry for not returning your call but I do want to see you. What's your IM? Let's figure something out."
When he forwarded this to me saying "looks like i'm only getting sex in second life..." I could sense how deflated he was. I tried to console advising that she was probably just nervous to get on the phone. Afterall, electronic communication (IM, email, texting, blackberrying, Facebooking) during the courting process allows us to be funnier, wittier and even sexier (has anyone else noticed texting has taken a more risque turn lately?...I'll leave that for another post). In some ways I liken the the dependence on "electronic courage" similar to the "liquid courage" prompted by a stiff cocktail as you wait nervously for a date to arrive. Both can free you of inhibitions, potentially making the communication more interesting, more bold and in many cases more honest. But I wouldn't brag about it.
I think it's a fear of rejection thing-- or rather a lack of that fear... I mean, in person, there's the whole idea that other people are around in the bar and the person can just blow you off... but over text, what's the worse that could happen? He stops texting you back? That could mean so many other things-- maybe he fell asleep, maybe his phone died... it really helps the romantic obsessives cope.
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