Devin Dadigan
WRT 205
Professor Yonker
19 February 2008
The Intrinsic Value of Text Messaging on Society
Buzz…Ring…Beep… at the dinner table, during class, on the public bus, near the bustling grocery store checkout, in the car. The cell phone is distracting not just to the holder but to everybody else around. For example, I was giving a speech and contemplating how to conclude my presentation when my cell phone vibrated. This small diversion caused me to completely draw a blank and I had trouble finishing the speech. Another time, my family was sitting down for Christmas dinner and my sister’s cell phone gave a faint beep every two minutes. She would quickly respond under the table as if she were unnoticed and continued normally with the family discussion. I really became upset when I was walking down the street and a girl bumped into me, because she was typing into her phone instead of watching where she was walking. In a way, I think the cell phone has become just as much of an addiction as nicotine. Yet in all of these examples the cell phone is not being used for its number one purpose—talking. Instead, it is being used for text messaging, the newest and most innovative kind of communication. When we consider current discussions on text messaging using content analysis, the following patterns emerge. First, there is concern among scholars who, with a negative point of view, believe that we as a culture have become too reliant on text messaging. In fact, the common theme that stems from this is the theory that text messaging might be causing social problems such as weak personal skills, a lack of expressing feelings, and public speaking difficulties. Another pattern is how the use of acronyms and emoticons has devalued the context of the English language. Finally, the discussions on text messaging also give insight to why “texting” has become so popular.
So, what is this concern among scholars about? If you just look at the titles of some of the texts: “Technology Leaves Teens Speechless” and “Has txt kild the ritn wrd?” you start to notice some of the negative point of views that the authors have in regards to text messaging. In general, scholars are concerned with the idea that teens are shying away from face to face conversation and instead relying on text messaging as their primary communication device. As a dialect, text is emotionless and unimaginative. Crispin Thurlow, a professor at Washington University criticizes text as being, “bleak, bald, sad shorthand.” Thurlow ventures even further by remarking, “Texting is penmanship for illiterates” (sect. 1.3). I interpret this illiteracy to be communication illiteracy, noticing that the corpus of my texts discuss how individuals are having trouble communicating face to face.
By scanning the choice of words in my researched texts (illiterate, killing, problematic, annoying), I realized the negative connotations that these scholarly authors were trying to stress. The title, “Has txt kild the ritn wrd?” works as a metaphor for Geoff Strong, who writes for the Australian newspaper, The Age. Strong is able to depict text messaging killing English language in a battle scene. In a larger sense, he is suggesting that text is devaluing our language and our ways of verbally communicating. Another newspaper writer, Olivia Barker uses the simile, “the oral kinds of conversation are becoming as uncomfortable as braces” (Barker, 2006). This simile works quite well, since the word “braces” is indicative of the teenage crowd, which is the generation in question. In addition, most people know from personal experience, or have heard, how uncomfortable braces are. This discomfort helps show Barker’s point of view as it effectively casts a negative shadow over her entire text. The negative point of views of the authors combined with their intense choice of words are consistent throughout my texts—making me aware of the realization that most scholars are concerned with our society’s reliance on text messaging.
As mentioned above, the common theme that emerges from this concern is that the teenagers and the youth of our society will have social problems. Scholars are noticing that personal communication skills are decreasing, more teens are having public speaking difficulties, and younger individuals are having trouble expressing emotion. They believe that all of this is linked to text messaging. One argument that is made regarding this is that teens will not be able to spontaneously answer questions in interview situations, because they are unable to think on the spot (Thurlow 2003). Text messaging allows for the individual to reread conversations and rethink their choice of words—thus not being able to respond instinctively. As you are obviously aware, this is not how the world operates and text messaging gives a false sense of confidence to the text messenger. In fact, a 2005 report, from USA Today, states that employers were dissatisfied with 45% of college graduates, since these recent graduates struggled with personal skills and had trouble communicating with fellow employees (Barker 2006). This only adds to the correlation between text messaging and a decrease in social skills that these scholars are worried about.
Some scholars are also annoyed with the fact that text messages are interrupting the daily lives of college and high school students. Many students receive texts in class which interrupt their concentration, however; they admit that they feel an obligation to respond to the text message. In some cases, students in the same class will carry on a text message conversation from across the classroom. In addition, some highly recruited, high school student athletes such as Kosta Koufos, a basketball player from Ohio, are plagued with text messages (receiving dozens everyday). Thousands of college coaches across the country are using text messaging as a routine part of the recruiting process, because it is an efficient way of getting in touch with the student athlete very quickly (Barr & Rovengo, 2006). Scholars believe that this is an invasion of the high school student’s privacy. In no way does the bombardment of text messages contribute to the student’s overall well being. Simply put, text messages are distractions, annoyances, and interruptions to an individual’s daily life.
There is also an overwhelming concern among scholars that teens will have trouble expressing emotion in the future, because we as a society are learning to express our emotions in other forms of text such as acronyms or emoticons (text pictures). That’s why Thurlow complains that “webspeak” is having a negative impact on the standard/traditional way of communicating (sect. 1.3). Devoted text messengers have manipulated the rules of the English language to configure to text messages, which he sees as an enormous problem. For example, texting uses the minimal use of capitalization and standard, grammatical punctuation. It also uses abbreviations of certain words using number/letter combinations to form homophones i.e. (h8, i<3u2). Yet the most striking feature of text messaging is how it uses acronyms and emoticons to convey emotion. Most scholars are quite disturbed with the aforementioned, because they strongly believe that emotion is natural and is much more than an acronym or emoticon. In fact, Yuki Noguchi, a writer for the Washington Post, argues that these false expressions of emotion lead to individuals misunderstanding the intentions of another. And, since we have become so comfortable with smileys and LOL’s, teenagers are struggling to both show their own emotion and interpret the emotions of others (Noguchi, 2005).
According to famous, cultural critic Umbro, “We live in an age where the diminutive, the brief and the simple are highly prized in communication” (Thurlow, 2003). That’s why we as a society try to simplify things by turning phrases into acronyms and by using a sad face instead of saying “I am unhappy.” But the societal problem arises when shorthand “texting” starts to creep into normal conversation. Geoff Strong argues that individuals can text message a certain emoticon, without unveiling their true tone of voice. This is normal since voice cannot even be expressed in a text message. In a sense, text messaging allows for the individual to be an actor. One can pretend to be extremely happy and send (:-) or J), yet be quite upset and disturbed. Yuki Noguchi adds that, “You don’t see the person’s upper lip tremble. You don’t hear their voice quiver. You don’t get to see those external, non textual cues” (Noguchi, 2005). You don’t get these cues in written words either, however written words are not meant to take the place of a conversation. Teenagers are using text messaging as a replacement for face-to-face conversations. This is a societal problem and individuals are learning how to hide their emotions behind phony emoticons, and at the same time others are unable to interpret that individual’s true feeling.
Lastly, the corpus of texts I researched began to look at why text messaging has become so popular in recent years. First and foremost, mobile phone ownership is universal and people use cell phones constantly. One anonymous scholar, who Thurlow interviewed noted, “If you don’t have a cell phone, you’re effectively a non-person” (sect. 1.1). Cell phones exist everywhere—77% of 14-16 year olds have mobile phones (www.mobilesmsmarketing.com). But the phones are not being used as phones; instead they are being used for their short message service (SMS) devices. In 2006 alone, 1,200 billion text messages were sent throughout the world. This remarkable number shows how the human need for social intercourse can be fulfilled by the use of text messaging. Yet, text messaging really did not take off in the United States until 2002, when it coincided with the first season of American Idol. Viewers all over the country were voting for their favorite contestants and sending messages to the show (Noguchi 2005).
Text messaging has become popular because of its ease and convenience. It is quite attractive to children and teenagers since the phone gives them constant access to their friends. Text messages are also beyond and outside the immediate reach of the teen’s parents and other authority figures, so there is a large sense of privacy. This explains why almost two-thirds of text messages are considered intimate. According to the research of Thurlow, most text messages are used to arrange social gatherings and maintain friendships (sect 3.3). There is also a high connection to text messages being romantic, flirtatious, and sexual, because people will type things that they would not typically say to another individual. This simple idea alludes to the main reason why I think people text message. Individuals have admitted that they prefer to text message because they can type a message and feel as if they didn’t directly say anything at all. This explains why some people propose marriage or even break up via text messaging. Our society has found the easy way out. No longer do you have to confront someone—you can just send a simple message. That is why face-to-face discussions are becoming less popular. As shown above, English scholars have noticed this and that is why much of the discussion on text messaging is quite negative.
Of course text messaging is innovative, great, and glamorous, but has it truly added to the value of our society and culture? In fact, what is evident from the content analysis is just how blurred the boundary between computer-mediated communication and face-to-face communication really is. We, as cultural critics, have recognized the problems with text messaging; however as a society, we do not want to discontinue using such a wonderful feature. Text messaging has become such an essential part of our daily lives, especially for teenagers, and it would be nearly impossible to live without texting. Therefore, we should reevaluate the need for text messaging in our culture, so it can still be used for its intended purpose (as a brief message). Text messaging has no place for conversational purposes and should not replace face-to-face communication. No longer do I want to walk down the street, be bumped into by someone who is text messaging, and have them look at me like it was my fault!
Works Cited
Barker, O. (2006, May 29). Technology leaves teens speechless. USA Today. Retrieved January 25, 2008, from http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techinnovations/2006-05-29-teen-texting_x.htm Barr, J., & Rovegno, L. (2006, May 31). Text appeal. Outside the Lines. Retrieved January 27, 2008, from http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=2461072
Mobile SMS Marketing, Retrieved February 11, 2008, from
http://www.mobilesmsmarketing.com/sms_history_facts_data.php Noguchi, Y. (2005, December 29). Life and romance in 160 characters or less. Washington Post. Retrieved January 23, 2008, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/28/AR2005122801430.html Strong, G. (2007, October 2). Has txt kild the ritn wd? The Age. Retrieved January 26, 2008, from LexisNexis database.
Thurlow, C. (2003). Generation txt? The sociolinguistics of young people’s text-messaging.
Discourse Analysis Online. Retrieved January 26, 2008, from http://scholar.google.com/ scholar?hl=en&rls=DGUS,DGUS:2006-21,DGUS:en&q=text+messaging+digital+cultur
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