The Text Message Generation

An article in the New York Times Sunday magazine discusses the phenomena of texting. Teens pick it up readily and often must teach their parents how to do it. Many parents state that this is yet another barrier to communication with a teen. Others say that it helps keep in touch more easily. Whatever the outcome, the realities of texting are here.

Texting helps make our lives easier in many ways, as do cellphones. However, it does not replace communication. Kids and teens still need to learn to communicate, as in speak, to one another. Furthermore, kids and teens need to learn proper etiquette in communication. In other words, delaying the return of the cellphone call until after the ballet performance or returning the text message after class. This is behavior that adults are engaging in too. Texting during meetings or performances is distracting to others and portrays the user as more important than those around him. Bottom line is that we should use the technology to help us but we still need to consider actual interpersonal relations while doing so.