How do you deal with a text-a-holic?

[Carly_Roach]

I think we've been quoting each other but are saying different things:

I *would* consider adding texting (or paying per text) if there was a strong reason that texting works better for one of my friends. If I had a good friend who was hard-of-hearing and told me that texting works best for them, I would consider it.

However, all the people I know who would want to text me also use other communication methods regularly. I prefer to use the several communication methods that we have in common (phone, e-mail, FB, etc.) that *don't* cost me extra money. I have requested that they not text me, and aside from ocassional jokes about my antiquated cell-phone and being behind the times, they don't seem to have a big problem with that.

We're close enough in spirit. All of the people I associate with are flexible enough to have many alternate means of communications. In fact, I don't recall anyone I've ever communicated with ever saying they'd prefer texting over another means of communication. This thread just got really ridiculous really fast with those who chose to pick up one point and hammer on it for whatever reasons.

I don't know where you're finding all these people you have to drop from your friend list because they will "ONLY" text. I can't find them on this thread. All of a sudden, you're going off on how you won't be friends with someone - because they feel that texting is easier for them due to a hearing problem? Go back and reread and I think you'll get why people were so upset by your post!

I don't text either. I don't get your anger at those who do!

I've never had anyone have a problem with people texting me when I don't have text messaging.

Neither have I. Ever.

As for not knowing where I'm finding all these people I have to drop from my friend list because they will "ONLY" text and why you can't find them on this thread, of course you're confused. When information is missing or certain facts are presumed from the perceiver's POV, there will always be confusion. If you were to presume that I was a normal, adult, sane person, you'd realized that I'm pretty much saying what 40% of the other posters on this thread have been saying: we don't text and prefer not to text.

If I ever were to have an acquaintance who insisted on only texting, obviously I wouldn't be communicating with that acquaintance. That seems pretty logical and plain to me. I'm not sure how much more plain I can make it.

If you met someone who only spoke goldfish, and insisted through a translator that you only speak goldfish to them or they're not going to talk to you, obviously you wouldn't be communicating with that person nor would there be anything of value that they could add to your life.

There's nothing to get angry about or even upset about. I guess this must be one of those things that is clear as water to me but muddy to everyone else.

 

[MELSMICE]

If I have a hard of hearing acquaintance who tells me that the only method of communication we're going to use is texting (not email, letter-writing or face-to-face), then I'm sorry hard-of-hearing acquaintance but I really don't believe I'll be needing to communicate with you.

I doubt seriously anyone with those kinds of control tactic stipulations would add anything beneficial to my life, either.

Like I said, sad, arrogant & closed minded.

You are also putting stipulations on how people can communicate to you. Why can't you understand that?

We're close enough in spirit. All of the people I associate with are flexible enough to have many alternate means of communications. In fact, I don't recall anyone I've ever communicated with ever saying they'd prefer texting over another means of communication. This thread just got really ridiculous really fast with those who chose to pick up one point and hammer on it for whatever reasons.

If I ever were to have an acquaintance who insisted on only texting, obviously I wouldn't be communicating with that acquaintance. That seems pretty logical and plain to me. I'm not sure how much more plain I can make it.

If you met someone who only spoke goldfish, and insisted through a translator that you only speak goldfish to them or they're not going to talk to you, obviously you wouldn't be communicating with that person nor would there be anything of value that they could add to your life.

There's nothing to get angry about or even upset about. I guess this must be one of those things that is clear as water to me but muddy to everyone else.

The first sentence I bolded: It seems everyone is flexible enough to use other forms of communication with the exception of yourself.

Again.....sad, arrogant & closed minded. You may be missing out on communicating with some very intelligent, interesting people because you have decided to remove an entire form of communication from your life.

I've never spoken goldfish, but if I had the opportunity to communicate with a person that I found interesting enough that spoke a different language than me, I would be more than happy to do so through a translator. I would never dismiss someone for such a petty, closed minded reason.

 

[Talking Hands]

I'm sure you don't mean it this way, but this is why people with a hearing problem have such a hard time maintaining social relationships and just getting their business done in the world.

This is so true. Many of my friends have hearing problems ( full range from HH to fully deaf) For us (I have a hearing loss myself) texting is the most practical method of communication when we are on the go. Videophones aren't that portable and cell phones are only starting to make video available. Many of my friends do not have a calling option on there phone, only a data plan with text, email and web access.
I truly hate calling unless it is someone I am very close to. Too hard to understand and unless the person is close not patient enough to repeat multiple times.
I have noticed that my friends and I only do short texts and tend to email for the longer stuff.
BTW my students are always shocked that I have a BlackBerry and use text as much as they do. The only exception to that is the deaf and hard of hearing students. In that case we may be comparing our phones while communicating in sign language.

 

[SandrA9810]

I'm a text-a-holic, can't live without it. I guess I don't notice it, and people that have been around me long enough, but my speech isn't always that clear and is a lot worse on the phone. If I'm on the phone with some one, I always put the phone on speaker so I can speak in a more clear voice and hear them with both ears. Other than that, I'm saying "what was that, repeat, didn't understand you"... about a 100 times during a converstation.

The very first message board I signed up for, didn't tolerate bad spellers or short hand writing, and I've never picked up on text writings, which seems to have started in AIM chat rooms. I will plain and simple delete the message without trying to decode anything.

I communicate with a person based on their preference, and most my friends all prefer texting. There's some people I can't even tell you the last time I heard their voice on the phone. My family on the other hand, prefers calls. But I rarely ever listen to voice mails, because it's usually "hey, it's so and so, call me back". If I see I missed a call from them, I just call back when I can. Of course this can lead to playing phone tag with some one. If I just recieved a text with what they wanted, I can respond to them with the answer on my time.


As far as the cost of a text goes... even at 1/3 penny, I probably make my money's worth in a month. They make their profit off of the unused rollover minutes. The last time I checked there was about 2,000 in rollover minutes accumilated, and most the time the amount that drops off gets added back with the current month's.

 

[tlbwriter]

Sorry, but I DON'T have time for some random friend or family member to dictate to me how I'm going to communicate with them. Especially if the media is going to cost me extra money. We'd either see each other face-to-face on a random basis or not at all.

Besides, I doubt seriously that this person would have much to offer me anyway if they're that controlling over their method of communication.

Don't see the irony here, do you?

 

[Carly_Roach]

Like I said, sad, arrogant & closed minded.

You are also putting stipulations on how people can communicate to you. Why can't you understand that?


The first sentence I bolded: It seems everyone is flexible enough to use other forms of communication with the exception of yourself.

Again.....sad, arrogant & closed minded. You may be missing out on communicating with some very intelligent, interesting people because you have decided to remove an entire form of communication from your life.

I've never spoken goldfish, but if I had the opportunity to communicate with a person that I found interesting enough that spoke a different language than me, I would be more than happy to do so through a translator. I would never dismiss someone for such a petty, closed minded reason.

You are absolutely, 100% right and I am absolutely wrong. I am a sad, arrogant and closed minded person. I appreciate your assistance in helping me see the error of my ways. Hopefully the changes I make now will be beneficial in my own personal growth and thriving as a human being.

Thank you!

 

[MELSMICE]

You are absolutely, 100% right and I am absolutely wrong. I am a sad, arrogant and closed minded person. I appreciate your assistance in helping me see the error of my ways. Hopefully the changes I make now will be beneficial in my own personal growth and thriving as a human being.

Thank you!