busyI agree with these. I will add that telephone technology has evolved in ways that make me hate them more, not less. They are more pervasive and intrusive now. They demand attention in being charged. The sound quality has become so horrendous that I can barely make out what anyone is saying, and in the case of any speakerphone function actually hurts my ears. And they're ruining the restaurant experience, which creates fallout that I have to deal with even though I know better than to play with my fucking phone at the table.
So if you like me and wish to communicate with me, I am happy to do that via email or facetime. I am never happy on the phone and use it only as an absolute last resort. The chance of accurate communication is only so-so and the chance of pleasurable communication approaches zero and costs me spoons to fake it.
So totally YES!!
August 19 2015, 05:26:33 UTC 5 years ago
Having used the phone at work for many years, I simply didn't want to use it when I was at home. I am not one for calling anyone out of the blue to chat. I was very happy when email became an accepted way to communicate.
Initially I liked texting, but now, as with the phone, texting comes with the expectation of constant availability and immediate response. I find both to be very intrusive. Further, people rarely seem to understand that I often don't have my phone on me...or if I do, it's set to silent or vibrate. I don't, as a general rule, answer the phone unless I'm aware in advance some one is calling or texting.
I've had several employers become angry with me because I didn't respond to text or phone calls in my off time...employers, more than friends seem to be ever more insistent in employees always being available (regardless of industry) and (in my experience) even being threatening when employees are not super responsive to their intrusions.
Thank you for your post! It apparently struck a cord with me today. :-)
Re: So totally YES!!
August 19 2015, 08:20:32 UTC 5 years ago
Very understandable.
For me, a large part of it is that I don't want to be bothered. I hate being interrupted in person too, but it's not quite as bad.
>>Initially I liked texting, but now, as with the phone, texting comes with the expectation of constant availability and immediate response. I find both to be very intrusive.<<
I have zero patience for any of that. Nobody has a right to demand that I drop everything I'm doing to pay attention to them. I used to have a phone in my office, back when we had a landline. Now that we don't, I keep the things away from me except when we're traveling.
>>I've had several employers become angry with me because I didn't respond to text or phone calls in my off time...employers, more than friends seem to be ever more insistent in employees always being available (regardless of industry) and (in my experience) even being threatening when employees are not super responsive to their intrusions.<<
They want total access to people's lives, but they don't want to PAY for it; in other words, stealing. Fuck 'em.