To think in 20 years we won't do it any more?

I must admit to doing it but I am nothing like my DD and DGS. They are constantly on their phones. Sadly my DGS, a teenager, doesn't see the need to meet up with friends during school holidays because they spend all day messaging one another. I think it's tragic. Also, when I do manage to get his attention, it takes a little while for him to become communicative - almost as if he's in a trance. Dreadful.

I actually replied to that post on mumsnet so I know the one you are talking about OldHag. I do agree with you so many conversations are via text now! I’m guilty of doing it myself as are all my friends, we never call each other! My own adult children text all the time to us to ask how we are etc, we do see them though, it doesn’t really bother me as long as everyone in the family are well and everything’s ok.

Most people I tend to text, but try to talk to my children on the phone at least sometimes!…🤓

I have never really enjoyed phoning people. I have a bit of a dread of making phone calls, to anyone, even my own children.
Being able to text and chat with people in Whatsapp, etc, has been a boon for me.
I agree that people do seem a bit trance-like now in that they seem welded to their phones. It is a shame.

I text or WhatsApp too. I really shy away from phoning people. I always think it’ll be an inconvenient time to call but a text can be answered anytime.

My SIL will only call someone if its an emergency ,she doesn't like using a phone .Never has ,so txt and messenger are a godsend for her .My sister and my daughter will call for a blether ,often an hour of chat or more .Nothing better than hearing a real voice .

My friends and I usually text first to see if it’s convenient to talk. Just a ‘fancy a chat?’ Message gives the other person a chance to ask for ten minutes to finish their dinner, or to see the end of something on TV - calls can be quite intrusive - but I do prefer to hear a voice than to have to type a whole conversation.

I mostly WhatsApp, sometimes text, occasionally Facebook Messenger.
I've always been worried about catching people at an inconvenient moment if I ring them, so the non-audio ways of communication are great for me.

Won't be here so won't worry too much. Although i think people will always want to mix, to speak to a person at the other end if the phone if they have a query and not a virtual assistant who helps not a jot.

Here's one I wrote earlier..
A Lost Art?
I love to meet with friends, and to sit with them and chat,
A rewarding way to pass the time, discussing this and that,
As we set the world to rights that talk’s a favourite occupation,
A chance to join with others in the art of conversation.
But as I look around these days I worry when I see,
So many bad examples of how things have come to be.
Two girls there on the Metro left me feeling quite perplexed,
As they sat next to each other to communicate by text.
Heads pointed down and fingers flying, total introspection,
As they “talked” there to each other, with no meaningful connection.
I’ve seen a family in a pub, all gathered for a meal,
It’s no exaggeration, and to me it seemed surreal,
Both parents and the children, with i-pads in their hand,
They may as well have been apart, all in some distant land,
In separate worlds they surf the net, oblivious of each other,
Just how does that fit in with being a Father or a Mother?
So is it any wonder that when youngsters do speak out,
The noises that they make leave no room for any doubt,
That they’ve lost the use of English, with a sentence all expressed,
With grammar and vocabulary suitably addressed.
No “I was like” and “she was like”, such tortured, mangled speech,
With constant interjections as they struggle there to reach,
For the words to tell their story, in sentences that vary,
With such easy, practiced reference to a wide vocabulary.
I see recorded interviews with people in the street,
A “vox pop” scene from years gone by, with sentences complete,
So very different from today, I sometimes wonder whether,
The person being interviewed can string three words together,
Without “you know” or “kind of like”, or using that ”I mean”,
To fill those yawning gaps where those lost words would once have been.
And even social gatherings work against good conversation,
With some awful, blaring disco blocking all communication,
As you sit and strain to lip-read what your neighbours try to say,
But the decibels still triumph, and those words just fade away,
So you smile and nod, and then give up, another chance is lost,
To communicate with others, and it all comes at a cost.
At heart we’re social animals, and we have the gift of speech,
To serve our complex lifestyles, to help us all to reach,
A proper understanding of what brings us all together,
To cement a lasting friendship takes some concentrated blether.
So I’m making no apologies, and I may be an old fart,
But I mourn for conversation, fast becoming a lost art…

Absolutely brilliant and sadly so true.

I still chat on the phone and text family and friends and use What's app for groups. I would say I am a frequent communicator on all mediums.

I’m afraid talking to people has always been in the Yorkshire DNA. Striking up casual conversations with strangers is a perfectly natural thing to do, but I think it will probably die out with my children’s generation. I am another who hates phone calls but if I didn’t make them there would be days when I didn’t hear another human voice! My DD is not comfortable on the phone; prefers WhatsApp (even then she often doesn’t respond to messages) but DS can chat for England, fortunately.

I love, and look forward to my weekly gossip on the phone with my eldest daughter. One of the best hours of the week. I also have a rule that I speak on the phone, with my other adult children at least once a month, either they ring me or I telephone them, even my son who admits to disliking talking to people on the phone, make an exception for me.

For a quick and easy message about something I do use messenger or whatsap, but for a 'catch up' nothing replaces the 'phone.

I speak to my children on the phone at least once a week, as well as messenger or WhatsApp. Other family either call me or I them every couple of weeks and I have friends who regularly chat on the phone. So, proper phone calls are still alive here.

Never text, if I can avoid it. my fingertips are numb after a carpal tunnel operation,

DD and I talk on the phone for hours and even DS and family talk to each other. Phones are items of utility in our family, in all three generations. I am often not sure where mine is and from the time it takes DS to answer phone I think he is the same.

NanaDana
Brilliant but so sad!
Let’s hope it turns round before it’s too late.☹️

I don't worry that this will happen. People will still be out and about and meeting up. They will use the phone less - already do - but that is fine.

I treasure my whatsapp groups with my DDs and with my friendship group. We wing messages back and forth - and pictures - and have far more contact than we would if we just relied on the phone. I keep in contact with DDs' lives in a way that would have been impossible before.

Not all change is bad!

Since lockdown for 2 years I find such a lot of people have got into the habit of texting each other rather than pick up the phone my DD and DS are the only ones who tend to use the landline to check on me daily.
I do PM quite a few virtual friends that I have made over my many years on GN which was a Godsend during Covid.
I can't see losing the art of conversation happening at all everyone needs to hear a human voice at some time or another surely ?

I watched "Race across the world" for the first time yesterday. For those who are unfamiliar with the programme, teams of two have a limited budget, no phone or laptop and they have to travel across large, sometimes quite remote distances to get to the finishing point. With just a map it's obvious that you need local information but some of the participants found it really difficult to talk to strangers, those who did did best and also IMO enriched their experience too. Yes it's really sad, I enjoy a good chat with friends on the phone if I haven't seen them for a while and I'm one of those people who always chat to strangers to while away the time on journeys.

I like a confirmation text when facts such as dates and times are involved but other than that it's chat every time. Thankfully my friends and family seem to agree on this.

NanaDana

Here's one I wrote earlier..
A Lost Art?
I love to meet with friends, and to sit with them and chat,
A rewarding way to pass the time, discussing this and that,
As we set the world to rights that talk’s a favourite occupation,
A chance to join with others in the art of conversation.
But as I look around these days I worry when I see,
So many bad examples of how things have come to be.
Two girls there on the Metro left me feeling quite perplexed,
As they sat next to each other to communicate by text.
Heads pointed down and fingers flying, total introspection,
As they “talked” there to each other, with no meaningful connection.
I’ve seen a family in a pub, all gathered for a meal,
It’s no exaggeration, and to me it seemed surreal,
Both parents and the children, with i-pads in their hand,
They may as well have been apart, all in some distant land,
In separate worlds they surf the net, oblivious of each other,
Just how does that fit in with being a Father or a Mother?
So is it any wonder that when youngsters do speak out,
The noises that they make leave no room for any doubt,
That they’ve lost the use of English, with a sentence all expressed,
With grammar and vocabulary suitably addressed.
No “I was like” and “she was like”, such tortured, mangled speech,
With constant interjections as they struggle there to reach,
For the words to tell their story, in sentences that vary,
With such easy, practiced reference to a wide vocabulary.
I see recorded interviews with people in the street,
A “vox pop” scene from years gone by, with sentences complete,
So very different from today, I sometimes wonder whether,
The person being interviewed can string three words together,
Without “you know” or “kind of like”, or using that ”I mean”,
To fill those yawning gaps where those lost words would once have been.
And even social gatherings work against good conversation,
With some awful, blaring disco blocking all communication,
As you sit and strain to lip-read what your neighbours try to say,
But the decibels still triumph, and those words just fade away,
So you smile and nod, and then give up, another chance is lost,
To communicate with others, and it all comes at a cost.
At heart we’re social animals, and we have the gift of speech,
To serve our complex lifestyles, to help us all to reach,
A proper understanding of what brings us all together,
To cement a lasting friendship takes some concentrated blether.
So I’m making no apologies, and I may be an old fart,
But I mourn for conversation, fast becoming a lost art…

What a great post!

Like others, I send a text to say 'In for a chat?' as I would hate to think someone was rolling their eyes as they picked up the 'phone and had to turn off their TV/stop cooking their supper or whatever. Otherwise, with adult children it is various messenger, WhatsApp during the week, and generally a good long chat once or twice a week with DD, and less frequently with DS who works shifts. Having said all this, I spend quite a lot of time directly with local friends, out for a coffee/lunch in the winter and in back gardens drinking cold white wine and putting the world to rights in the summer months; one of my favourite ways to spend an afternoon.

One friend will message 'fancy a chat' I let her set the pace as she has a busier life,but I know the conversation can last up to two hours.

Another elderly friend dosent know how to text,her calls can and have lasted up to three hours as she is lonely,I dont answer immediatley,but do call back when I have the time to sit and listen and give my attention to her undistracted,normally same day but depends what time I have.
Son,and Grandaughter,ring and text.
Other friends text/ whats app
Brother rings/texts/ whats apps