digital written communication

Digital written communication (text messaging, sms, email) is one of the many tools of the devil. You know it is true. These three ways of avoiding face to face communication have caused a steady erosion in the ability of people to communicate over the last 20 years.


Many people are so enslaved by the convenience of text messaging that they avoid having difficult (or enjoyable) conversations with others. Lots of people I meet and deal with can no longer communicate face to face or verbally (on a phone call). People send text messages for things that should never be sent in a text.

Have you ever sat down for a meal with someone who spent the entire time texting? Did it irritate you? I ask myself and sometimes I ask the person: “why did you want to meet with me if you spent all your time paying attention to your iphone5 with the new 6.0 software?”

Real face to face (or phone) conversations have meaning and the ability to express feelings. Text messages, emails and sms send data. Cold, mechanical, unfeeling data.

Here are some examples of appropriate use of text messages:

• Sending gps coordinates to make sure the bomb dropped from a B2 stealth bomber hits the correct enemy bunker.
• You are running 15 minutes late for a meeting and you are in a noisy place.
• Ask your spouse to also get some milk and eggs when they go to the market.
• What was the address for the restaurant?
• What time was the meeting moved to?

Here are examples of when a text message is not appropriate

• Happy birthday!
• Congratulations on the promotion.
• Merry Christmas (Hanukah, Kwanza, etc)
• I’m sorry to hear about your dad passing.
• I just wanted to say thanks for…..

Bottom line: do not let digital communication take over your life. Let it help you when you need to send data. Go ahead and send that report, gps coordinates, pictures from your vacation, or spreadsheets. But do not allow it to take the place of spending quality face time with family, friends, clients or business associates. Some easy things to do to break the i-device cycle:

• Have a no i-device policy when you sit down to dinner with your family or friends.
• Play cards or a board game with friends instead of angry birds alone on your couch.
• Have a beer at a bar with a neighbor instead of checking in on facebook.
• Go to a museum or the park with your kids instead of standing in front of the TV playing wii.
• Make a phonecall to an old friend instead of sending a “happy birthday” text.

You know what you need to do. So do it. You’ll be glad you did. I know I am.

That’s my opinion. What do you think?