Have you changed how you communicate with people? ?I find I use the telephone so little now and most of my communication seems to be by email or facebook messaging or on twitter. I communicate with a couple of friends almost daily by Facebook messages.
It struck me some time ago when I was trying to arrange a get together for 6 school friends, ?only 2 of whom were on Facebook and 2 rarely checked email so it was a case of phoning and texting whereas it would have been so much handier (I felt) if I could have sent a facebook message to all six and we could have responded to each other in arranging a day and venue.
When I do interviews for my blog, I usually send off the questions by email and let the interviewee respond at their leisure by writing out their answers and then I edit as required. ?I was interviewing someone recently for a Bloggertone post and when I asked him would he do the interview, he said sure and that I could call him. ?I was slightly nonplussed for a minute – what, do an interview on the phone when we talk to each other and I ask questions, he answer and I use scribbles and shortland – my brain was whirring as I had become so accustomed to online and written communication. ?I was somewhat amused at my own reaction especially as people have interviewed me over the phone on occasion.
Are we missing out though by not talking on the phone? ?I prefer written and online, I can respond when I have the time or when I am in the mood. I actually find that I feel I should be multi tasking when on the phone and generally end up doing tasks like emptying the dishwasher when chatting to my mum or sister.
Just wondering if anyone else is finding it the same or am I a tad bizarre?
WiseMona
I am the same as you Lorna.. Very little chatting on the phone. I think when email took over the world as form of communication it was (a) free and (b) instant.
You could ‘chat’ back and forth just fine via email and now that FB and Google have chat it makes it even less likely that I will go back to using the phone. If I added up the amount of money I have spent on long distance phone calls over the years …. I might die of shock….
Jenny Doyle
I totally agree Lorna. When I do have a conversation with my family by telephone I am usually putting on a wash, hanging up a wash, cooking or knitting! My mum would ask if I’ve been talking to so and so, and I would say “yes, we’ve been FB’ing” !! It’s sometimes much easier and more productive to involve yourself in chat when you actually feel like it, instead of when someone else is dictating the time, because you set everything else aside and say exactly what you want to say instead of being distracted too. Having said that, it’s great when someone phones you out of the blue and you have a real catchup. Some things I wouldn’t write down, but would say on the phone, so maybe what we are communicating via social media is different too.
Lorna
I have to admit that I do like the occasional call out of the blue or even better, to meet up for a coffee and proper chat which is exactly what we need to do Jenny, the week after half term 🙂
Jenny Doyle
Sounds good Lorna, we really should make time for these things in between all the other things going on!