Texting vs. calling people

Texting vs. Calling People Mickey Mouse ENG 121: English Composition I Prof. Cort Phillipy June 11, 2010 Texting vs. Calling People Texting and Calling a New Date are both good ways of communicating. There are different settings in which texting is appropriate, and times when a phone call might meet your needs best. Both texting and calling have strengths and weaknesses. It depends on the age of the person, and whether they have had any previous conversations. Texting and Calling can be good ways of getting to know each other. Texting can be good to keep in touch during the busy part of the day, and calling can be good when a person is ready to be more personable conversation. Texting can be very quick, and easy to do during the day if you are a text savvy, and can text fast. It can also be discrete because you are able to talk about anything without anyone knowing what you and the other person are talking about. It can also be a great tool when you find yourself in the middle of a loud place, and you need to talk to your date. In Japan people text each other even if they are sitting right across from each other. Calling a new date can help you and your date realize if there is any chemistry between the two of you. You can really get to know somebody by the words, and tone of voice they use. And you are able to notice any pauses between what you say and what the other person in the phone is making. A phone call can be better when the person you are trying to communicate with is not familiar with texting lingos, and/or is not fast at typing. Texting while driving can prove to be really dangerous because it takes a second of distraction to get into an accident, but calling while driving is not any better if you have to get distracted to dial the number that is all it takes to go through a red light. In most states it is illegal to text or call while driving if it takes either hand from the wheel. Smart phones have voice activated apps that allow people to text by converting your voice into words, and doing the texting for you. You can call somebody while driving and make it less dangerous by using a blue tooth, and/or using a free hands device. A lot of new car models have blue tooth that enables the driver to use both free hands calling devices, and apps to text using your voice. In some of these new features in cars they even read your emails for you. Texting can prove to be really cheap if you have an unlimited plan for text messages. Using the phone to call somebody outside of your cell phone provider can be really expensive if you are not calling on nights or weekends. Text messages charges can really add up if you do not have unlimited text messages, and calling somebody using the same service provider as you can be priceless because you get to talk for as long as you want to. For example children can probably call their parents for free if they are under the same contract. Texting can be difficult for parents that have difficulty understanding technology, and calling might prove a faster way of communicating about something urgent. There are places where neither a text nor a call may be appropriate like in church it does not matter how fast, discrete, or sneaky you are texting or calling should not be done in church. There are places where either or is appropriate like your house after work, and/or school. At that time it depends on your mood, the length of the message, and how much in the mood are you of talking or texting. Spurred by the unlimited texting plans offered by carriers like AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless, American teenagers sent and received an average of 2, 272 text messages per month in the fourth quarter of 2008, according to the Nielsen Company – almost 80 messages a day, more than double the average of a year earlier. (Hafner, 2009) That is a lot of texting, but it is unlimited texting plans. “ Texting can be an enormous tool, ” he said. “ It offers companionship and the promise of connectedness. At the same time, texting can make a youngster feel frightened and overly exposed. ” . (Hafner, 2009) Although texting might be interrupting communication between generations because grandparents are not comfortable texting and grandchildren are not too flexible in that aspect. The decision is ultimately yours. Reference: Hafner, K. (2009, May 29). New york times. Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. com/2009/05/26/health/26teen. html