One thing to consider is the medium in which these written messages are received: text. Most of the text messages we receive contain simple, light, funny, and normal messages. Like Alysha talked about in her post, these texts most often include invitations to parties and emoticons; short blurbs about the quotidian details of our lives. The weightier matters are usually left to in-person conversations or phone calls. Any text message that is either prefaced or finished with the words "I'm okay" do come as a shock because the medium of text messaging is not where we expect these events to be conveyed. However, our culture has primed us to trust the news that come from our little glass screens.
Going back to Alysha's post, she trusted and believed the contents of that text message. She thought, "wow, my friend doesn't like me anymore. That's it, I won't go to the party" just because of a few poorly spelled words on her cute little phone. Why do we trust the words we are sent via text? Does it have more to do with the person who is on the other side of the phone, or the medium itself? Regardless, when any of us see the news on our phones that someone we love had some kind of accident but they are okay, it brings us some amount of peace that everything will be all right. Is the trust we have placed in this technological messaging system well-founded? Perhaps. But the next time you send this text to someone, just think if a phone call might be more suited.
Really interesting post, Anthony. I like what you said about trusting "the news we see on our phones." I'm studying journalism, so the move of news media to phones is really interesting to me. It's interesting how more and more important things, be it about our loved ones or about the world in general are being conveyed on tiny screens. Can we really say all we want/need to say on such a small platform?
ReplyDeleteMaybe Im weird, but If I got hit by a car my first thought would not be to pick up my phone and text my friend. I feel like writing limits our ability to convey what we are truly thinking but texting takes the limiting factor to a whole new level.
ReplyDeleteThat must've been a scary text to get! I think in most situations a phone call would definitely be more suitable, however I think if you have a mother like mine, with an over-active imagination, even just the words "i just got hit by a car but---" would make her believe I was dead, or in the process of dying, while on the phone to her. Crazy how we use different methods for communicating different things.
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