I love 'em, but some of my friends and family just don't seem to know when enough is enough ... when it comes to texting, that is. Occasionally, I'll find myself sucked into a 30+ minute convo strictly via texts. I know I'm to blame, as well, cuz I could just call them (and sometimes I do), but often, one of us is in a situation where actually placing a phone call is out of the question (like waiting in a doc's office). Still, a text convo just gets really annoying really fast. And yet, that's not even the worst socializing faux pas around these days.
How about when someone attempts to broach an important, sensitive subject through text, email, or the dreaded catch-all, Facebook? For instance, a recent survey by market researchers found one-third of ADULTS have broken up with someone using one of those means of communication. I'm not surprised, but I'm seriously disappointed.
It used to be that we'd acknowledge how cowardly an online or text break-up was. Even doing it over the phone used to be considered crappy. What the heck happened to those good ol' days?! Since when did it become acceptable to majorly cop-out by breaking things off with someone over a screen? If this is any indication of where we're headed in all things related to interpersonal communication, we are seriously SCREWED!
It's truly ironic that email/text/Facebook were all created on the premise that they'd ease communication and bolster our relationships. But when you misuse them and lean on them in a situation that can only be done justice face-to-face, all of 'em work in the absolute opposite way -- leading to a communication breakdown that makes our relationships even less personal and more complicated.
Thankfully, 60 percent of people surveyed said they wouldn't break up with someone via 3G or Wi-Fi, so that's promising. Good to know that despite all the technology available at our fingertips, MOST of us still have a little something known as common decency -- whew!
How do you feel about people breaking up or broaching important discussions via email, Facebook, or text? Have you done it?
Image via Simon Doggett/Flickr
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Comments 8
I've never broken up with anyone via a text message or online. I did it over the phone once, but only because it was a long distance relationship and me with no car, so it would pretty much be him driving two hours for us to break up and them him driving two hours back. It seemed really bitchy and uncalled for, since we just weren't compatible, he didn't cheat on me or anything. Plus, I wanted to (and we did) remain friends. But I agree with the article. It's cowardly, rude, and tacky to do it over the internet at all, no matter the distance. If you can do it in person, do it. If you can't, at least with a phone call you're physically connecting with a person, unlike a text or FB message.
My ex sent me a text, " I don't think we have a future, hope you find someone to love you, " and never answered any calls or texts from me again. Needless to say it was so heartbreakingly impersonal,since I felt we had been really close. I still haven't gotten the whole story.