Without being able to hear the nuances of voice or the unspoken but powerful connotative message of body language, texting back and forth (in lieu) of having a phone conversation or a face-to-face meeting, brief texting often creates a level of misunderstanding in terms of the true tone or intention of a communicated message. The following text dialog is a perfect example, taken from a very fresh, recent, real-world experience.
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TEXTING BETWEEN SENSITIVE SOULS
TRANSCRIPTION OF TEXT MESSAGE CONVERSATION
11:30 pm Eastern Time
August 20th, 2012
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Sent To Me:
U brainwashed M.He calls you his spiritual advisor! He thinks its scarey because u can read minds and see the future!! What the f---?
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My Response
B: I assure you that I've not brainwashed anyone, I cannot read minds and further, I cannot see the future -- if I could, I be playing the stock market. Sometimes needful or irrational persons come to their own "curious" conclusions. Be assured that I am quite ordinary, quite mortal. And have never, ever made any representations to the contrary to anyone - ever.
I feel that your tone is most accusatory, and I find it very offensive. I have only tried to be helpful to you. I am hurt deeply, and am deserving of either an apology or a dismissal from my good-faith association with you and your business. I have wronged no one. The next communication is yours, as I don't want to be where I' m unwelcome or where my integrity or motives are questioned. I don't want to say anything foolish or out of anger.
Respectfully, with best wishes, DC
Sent To Me
We all luv u and u r trying very hard to help me like no one else and I greatly appreciate it. Michael interpreted it in a "curious" way. I know you have only my best interests at heart. I'm sorry again. I read up on Crowd Funding. What can I do to make it up to you?
M thinks very highly of you. He called u his spiritual advisor as a big compliment.
Please write back.
My Response
No offense taken. I get this type of reaction more than I'd like, and I overreacted. I apologize if I wrote back before I'd had a chance to see the humor and the irony in it. You've still got me. We'll talk tomorrow, and make nice. Now, If you'll pardon me, I must commune with the spirits. ;-)
May I rest my case? Texting is excellent for group alerts, coordinating meetings, advertisements, charitable solicitations, sales events, coordinating flash mobs and other very emotion-free utilitarian connotations.
The downsides are frightful:
- texting while driving is increasing fatalities;
- texting emotionally sensitive material can cause misunderstandings due to the limited sensory nature of the messaging medium;
- The phonetic spellings and acronyms being used in texting are creating a decline in the actual literacy of youth throughout the industrialized world -- wordsmithing, letter writing and poetry are fast becoming extinct.
Amen, Messengers!
Douglas E. Castle for The Sending Signals Blog
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