Get Off Messenger

People often suggest that social media is crippling conversation.

Throughout history, people have made the same assertions about TV, radio, and even books when they were first commonly available!

And like all these things, social media can either enhance or weaken your conversational tendencies. The key is to use it in moderation.

Quite often the topics we discuss stem from things we have seen online, in media or something we have read. So these are all good preparation for having things to talk about.

Obviously if we are constantly buried in these things to the point where we are rarely having real interactions, they become a problem.

“Social media can either enhance or weaken your conversational tendencies. The key is to use it in moderation.”

In the 21st century, we are blessed to be able to instantly message someone on the other side of the planet. There were times when getting a message across that distant would have meant months at sea. (And I’m sure that message would have been more than “lol :)”.)

But in the 21st century, we often tend to default to sending someone a text or a facebook message or an email rather than simply talking to them, either on the phone or face to face.

It’s kinda nice seeing a little note from someone when you check your phone. But if this is the extent of your friendship, it’s not much of a friendship.

Constant messaging rather than vocal interactions results in a warping of the relationship too. Much of communication is in tone of voice and body language rather than mere words. Even emojis don’t make up for this.

Do you have a friend who you message regularly but never speak to anymore? Perhaps you need to dial them up and arrange to actually hang out. It takes the friendship to another level.

Let’s talk.