darn new-fangled technology
March 26th, 2009 by AriI have a confession to make: I don’t know how to deal with text messages. Seriously – not a clue. Are they like email? Are they like IM? Are they just substitutes for short phone calls? Each of these three has a different etiquette and I don’t know which system to apply to text messages. When an old friend texts to say “I’m in town”, does that mean I should text back to say “let’s meet up?”Am I supposed to return the text with a phone call? What is the acceptable time frame in which to return a text message? Do people get upset if you don’t respond to a text? How do they even know I got it? (Answer: they don’t. I had text messaging blocked until a short time ago when I was offered it for free, and text messages to me simply vanished without informing the sender that they hadn’t been sent).
March 29th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
I think you are going about this the wrong way. Etiquette develops after society has had time to define parameters on innovations. When Facebook first arrived it was just a haphazard way of talking to people–most of the communication happened with people I saw on a frequent basis anyhow. As it “matured” the Wall birthday message developed followed by the blanket status message “Thanks to everyone that sent birthday wishes!” I think people are still figuring out how/why to use text so there is no fast etiquette. My view is that it is the substitution for a quick phone call, sans the formalities.