When I was growing up, the only way my parents would let me go out on dates (or with anyone for that matter) is if they came up to the front door, rang the doorbell, and introduced themselves to whoever was around to answer. In the rise of the digital age though, our minds and bodies have become lazy — sending a text is way less work and saves you from the impending confrontation. Inspired by the lovely @youngandjoven, here are five reasons millennial's are contributing to the death of the doorbell.
1. Same realm as talking on the phone
Talking on the phone is another technological innovation that millennials have moved past, heck, even myself! I only answer my phone if the number is already saved in my phone or if someone mentioned they would call me because scams and cold calls have gotten really annoying in the past few years. The same goes for someone approaching my house and ringing the doorbell. If I'm unaware of someone or something coming, for example, a friend or FedEx, I probably won't answer. I'll get up, make my way over there, and look through the peephole or window before deciding if answering would be worth it to me. In this day and age, I'd say it's fair to assume someone ringing your doorbell unannounced means that it's either an elderly relative or a solicitor.
2. Don't talk to strangers
Ah, yes, the golden rule. Even now if I'm home alone, I still won't open the door if I spy a stranger through the peephole. For the longest time my parents, me, and everyone else for that matter believed if you were home alone and opened the front door, by any means, you will get kidnapped and killed. It's sad to say, but that seems to be a more relevant case today than when we were younger. Even if that stranger turns out to be a lost tourist or solicitor, keep that door SHUT, sis. The fewer encounters we have with strangers, the better — that's what Tinder is for anyways.
3. Triggered anxiety
Even to this day, when I hear a doorbell ring, I get chills down my spine and throughout my whole body. My friends agree, some saying it can even trigger a panic attack if it's early enough in the morning! The sound of a doorbell could actually be quite aggressive, especially if you have one of those kinds that ring on and on until the door opens. But with the doorbell technology, they've developed over the recent years, you could actually change the sound so it's not as harsh and startling, and some doorbells even connect to your phone and you can see who's out there via camera.
4. No doorbell, no problem
Some people are just getting rid of doorbells all together — my mother being one of them. If you're so paranoid and scared by the sound of a doorbell, you can easily remove it or hide it out of sight, so people cannot see. But then, you'd have to deal with knocking, which in some cases can even be worse.
5. Releasing the kraken
Don't even THINK about ringing the doorbell if you see a beware of dog sign out front. No matter how small or nice, every dog is something to beware once you step foot into a home. There is truly nothing worse than a barking dog, for either party. Even worse than dogs are babies. The sound of a crying baby on the other side of the door means that it won't be answered for a long time. Once it is answered, the person on the other side will not be happy. I believe that this case is the only perk for texting "Here" rather than ringing the doorbell, for obvious reasons.
Thank you "stella donnelly stan" for your amazing insight that actually sheds some light on our generation. Being totally immersed in our phones 24/7 isn't always all bad, sometimes it can be more effective to get things done.
