I love Facebook Messenger. At first, I was peeved that Messenger wasn't included in the actual Facebook app, but now I don't check my Facebook feed as much as I check Messenger. I love to talk to people on messenger. I love the idea of being able to form my response in a coherent sentence by strategically using the backspace button. Then came a point when I happened upon the realization that I didn't know how to speak to people when they weren't behind a screen, fifty hundred miles away from me.
When I meet a person with whom I talk over messenger, I am surprised by their personalities that didn't shine through in text. Even though I knew every event that happened to them, I didn't know how complex and how unique each person was until I actually meet them in real life. With some people that I message, I feel like an ocean is encapsulated in the two feet between us when we stand together in a room. I have no idea what to talk about because I feel like they know all my stories. They know what I like, what I dislike, what hobbies I have. They know my preferences without actually meeting me face to face. In those moments, I feel foolish for bringing up a topic that we've already discussed.
Now, I tend to avoid having deep conversations with people over messenger. I wait until I see my friends before sharing the most exciting bits of my day. For me, there's something more exciting about being in the presence of my friends than texting them. I can convey more even if I can't form coherent sentences. And I found that the more I speak with them, the better my sentences turn out.
What about you? What are your feelings on messaging people? Is it better or worse than talking in real life?