Though it might be hard to imagine, texting was only invented a little more than twenty years ago. Today, it seems like it's the major form of communication. The average 18-24 year old sends over one hundred texts per day. Our parents and grandparents always say that we've lost the art of communication, that we spend so much time texting and tweeting that we barely know how to interact with each other anymore. In standup used for his book "Modern Romance," Aziz Ansari asked his audience if they would think it was weird if a guy called to set up a first date, and the overwhelming response was yes; the method most preferred was text message. However, while phone calls may seem to be outdated, there is a lot to be said for a phone call, whether it be minutes or hours long. Besides, phone calls have evolved; you no longer need to have them in the living room in front of your entire family.
1. Your epic rant is so much more relieving.
There's nothing like sending a massive eighteen part text message to your best friend to complain about your crazy boss/mom/classmate/roommate/etc. If you call them, you can rant for ten minutes, covering every minor detail of the story. I've found that while texting my complaints winds me up, talking about them helps me calm down.
2. Tone of voice.
I'm sarcastic. It's the way I am and I can't help it. The number of times I've sent a text message that was supposed to be sarcastic and hilarious that I had to follow up with "OMG I'm so sorry that was supposed to be a joke but I just sound like a b*tch" is unreal. Add tone of voice to the picture, and that issue is eliminated.
3. Getting to properly catch up.
Sometimes friends move apart, and it becomes hard to stay in touch. You'll catch up however you can, and sometimes that just a quick text here and there, and that's okay. But if you get a chance to talk on the phone you can really get back into the vibe of how things are when you're together. Before you know it it's been two hours and you're discussing something trivial and unimportant, exactly like you would when you were together.
4. Hearing the sound of someone's voice.
When someone is far away, you haven't seen them in a while, and you really truly miss them, there's nothing quite as comforting as hearing the sound of their voice. In those times, text messages just won't cut it.
