TEXTING SURPASSES TALKING

In a recent edition of the Kingston High School newspaper, they featured an article on TEXTING. This growing trend in communication for teenagers and college students has surpassed the actual phone call and Email to reach someone.

What the article didn't mention is the growing use of Texting in the global corporate world. That is; outside of the United States. Ranking last in this group are American business execs. It's hard to explain considering a text is the fastest form of communication ever invented, and also the most discrete form of electronic communication in existence.

One AP story I found thought to add Texting to: "Things My Teenager Can Do That I Can't." For those of us who have young adults in the house, you'd agree that they can whip out their phone and text their friends without looking at the damn thing.

One servey looked at European countries and found that half of British teenagers admit to sending text messages while they talk to another person. Does that happen at your dinner table? I bet it doesnt...If you can tell.

So whats the upside and why should American Execs join the Text phenom? Answer: the average e-mail is opened within 48 HOURS. Sure some of us who have incorporated Email into our continual routine, like us politicians and Bloggers, it still works. But for the most part, the estimate is spot on.

A text message however, is immediate. Instant. It's there, on your phone. It's undeniable. Try to ignore it and the phone will annoy you until you've opened the text. Hateful.

To give you an idea of how other countries have better embraced this form of communication, I found that the Finnish Prime Minister's voicemail greeting urges people to leave him a text rather than a voicemail or email. This I found in one of those random articles on Google and I had to laugh. Oh sorry [lol]

Another reason I like text messaging is they can be silent. A quick note you could get when chatter is inappropriate. The one article I found in a past Washington Journal had this to say about the corporate benefits:

You can send a text message and it arrives immediately. Immediately into the meeting where phones are on silent. Immediately while he is talking to your competitor on the other line. He can read your message while he is carrying on the other conversation. Even if that person's phone is turned off, the moment it comes on again, your text message arrives. No need to check voicemail. Just read a quick note.

So it's no wonder this issue came up in a school paper. With about 3 Billion cell phone users, the number of students using them has got to surpass those who don't. Worldwide, about half of those phones are active texters. The problem arises when you use them when your attention should be elsewhere. You saw the PSA Video I posted a few weeks ago regarding driving while texting. It was brutal and hard to watch, but it got the message clear.

Now if we could only text people during the GOTV efforts leading up to election day. Hmmm