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Social impacts of texting
The advantages and disadvantages of sending text messages
The advantages and disadvantages of sending text messages
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While text messaging has enabled us to have instant communication, it has impaired our society’s ability to communicate verbally, can potentially put users at risk, and allows users to exploit themselves and others in the touch of a button. Text messaging is “a form of wireless communication where users send or receive short, digital messages electronically” (Galloway-Shoemaker). Over the years, texting has developed into an exceedingly popular trend that the majority of Americans owning cellular phones use today. Text messaging has definitely made a tremendous impact on our society, both positively and negatively.
Text messaging began in the early 1990s, beginning with the first text message being sent from Neil Papworth to Richard Jarvis in 1992. This was certainly the start of an era for a new way of communication. Texting was initially intended for use on land-line phones to help the elderly who could not hear over the phone very well. That idea, however, was applied to cellular phones, and now most people use text messaging to converse with others rather than call them. Over the years, the number of people sending text messages has increased tremendously and is expected to continue to grow (Shannon). As of September 30, 2010, over seventy-two percent of people with cell phones send and receive text messages on a daily basis. With this percentage in mind, over four billion texts are sent and received each day. The number of minutes used to verbally communicate on a cell phone has decreased from 3.13 minutes to 2.03 minutes over the past two years, with many homes no longer having traditional land-lines (Text Message Marketing Service).
The majority of text messages today are sent by teenagers. Eighty-seven percen...
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Today in the Twenty-First century we have surpassed many technological advancements and excelled far past what we would have ever thought. One of our greatest technological advancements is the thing we hold in our hands everyday, our cell phones. Sometimes we don't realize just how much our phones can distract us from our lives. As a generation glued to our phones us teenagers send an average of 3,339 texts per month. In Randy Cohen's essay, “When texting is wrong” he states how we are overcome by texting and how it damages our social and personal lives.
In our world there are many forms of communication and these devices are beginning to take a toll on our younger generations. In Jeffery Kluger’s article,” We Never Talk Anymore: The Problem with Text Messaging,” the idea that younger generations are becoming socially inept due to technology is discussed. As these younger generations consume texting as a main form of communication other important social skills deteriate.
Text messaging has become a norm in our generation, as technology rapidly advances and gives way to more efficient forms of communication in a fast-paced world; and many are skeptical about the influence this new form of interaction is having on our society, especially with our younger generation. David Crystal, a professor at the University of Wales, writes “2b or Not 2b?” in support of text messaging. He insists, despite those who underestimate or negate the beneficial influence text messaging has on language proficiency, that “there is increasing evidence that [texting] helps rather than hinders literacy” and that the fairly recent form of communication has actually been around for a while and “is merely the latest manifestation of the human ability to be linguistically creative and to adopt language to suit the demands of diverse settings. In contrast, Jeffery Kluger argues in “We Never Talk Anymore: The Problem with Text Messaging” that text messaging is rapidly becoming a substitute for more genuine forms of communication and is resulting in difficulty among young peoples of our generation to hold a face-to-face conversation, engage in significant nonverbal expression, and ultimately build effective relationships with family, friends and co-workers. Both writers’ present valid arguments, however, my personal experience with text messaging has led me to agree more with Crystal’s view on the matter. Text messaging is indeed having a positive effect on society by making frequent texters primarily aware of the need to be understood, as well as offering betterment of spelling and writing through practice, and reinventing and expanding on a bygone dimension of our language through the use of rebuses and abbreviations.
How often do we text? Text messaging is a very useful way to communicate; but, there are occasions where texting is unnecessary, for example in meetings, watching movies, interacting with family, and even in the shower. However, while texting can be overused, it can also help us get to know one another in easier and faster ways. In Natalie Y. Moore’s article “The Rule of Thumbs: Love in the Age of Texting," she explains how the use of texting it is slowly destroying the love between two people (Moore, 1). Although, some people might agree with Moore points of view, when she argues that texting is killing romance and it should be reserved for some notifications, such as “I’m running late;” others might disagree with this idea
America’s society is changing because countless people are so involved with texting that, they are mentally being effected. As the brain develops in its early years, it
Text messaging or texting, as it’s commonly called—is the process of sending or receiving messages via a cellular device. It is a common means of communication among teenagers and even becoming popular in the business world because it allows quick messages to be sent without people having to talk through a telephone conversation. A person is able to say what is needed, in addition the other person will receive the information and respond when it's convenient for them.
Bratsis, Michael E. "Curbing texting while driving." The Science Teacher 80.1 (2013): 70. Academic OneFile. Web. 5 Dec. 2013.
These major changes show in the classroom. Texting affects students in the classroom, and the teachers.
In 1973, Motorola released a revolutionary product that forever changed communication and the social culture around the world. This heavy and awkward looking device allowed wireless communication and contributed to the decline of sending letters in the mail or walking to someone’s house to talk (Alfred). We now call this device a cell phone. Since the first cell phone was released in 1973, technological advancements have improved the cell phone’s portability, weight, and compatibility, resulting in roughly 90% of all Americans owning a cell phone (Pew Research). These advancements also helped develop texting, a form of communication that relays messages within seconds. Texting has appealed towards the younger generation, specifically ages 18-24, due to its unique and fast lingo such as “lol” (laugh out loud) and “brb” ( be right back)( Netlingo.com). In a recent survey, over 31% of young adults prefer a text message instead of a voice call (Pew Research). However, calling, a more traditional conversation, remains widely used and is the preferred method of communication for over 51% of young adults (Pew Research). The preferred method of contact might be personal, but calling and texting both have advantages and disadvantages. They differ in convenience, interpretation, privacy, and safety.
Step onto any college campus and take a look around. You will find clumps of students standing around in circles, phones in hand, typing away. What is it they are doing? Texting. Ever since the first text message was sent in 1993, the use of text messaging as a means of communication has spread like wild fire, especially amongst the adolescent generation. And with this new form of communication a new language has appeared; text-speak, the shortening of common words into abbreviations and acronyms (Drouin 49). While texting and the text-speak language seem to have been welcomed by many, what affect is this new technology having on the way we communicate? Is it possible that texting is negatively affecting our ability to use formal written communication, or is this idea just a myth perpetuated by negative media attention? And what changes has texting brought to the way we communicate person-to person? Are these changes positive, negative, or perhaps a mixture of both?
Texting, and sending messages have a major negative impact on American teens’ writing skills. The American teenager sends about sixty text messages a day. Teens are often using slang while texting someone, for example lol means “laugh out loud”. While teens are texting like this, it is causing the effects of their academic work such as writing.
It has huge impacts on physical activities and loneliness, schoolwork. Texting is a convenient way for people to share information and have fun. It is a prevalent nowadays for one to communicate; it influences family relationships and results in inattention in schoolwork. It can also result in bad writing skills, which can cause a big problem in literacy skills. Cell phones affected interaction skills, the inappropriate language in the essay and miscommunication was uneducated. Less face-to-face interaction affects family dynamics and job interviews, because they become less comfortable to speak in person when they used to text messaging. Texting influence schoolwork, job employment and writing skills, it also affects how people interact with each
Text messaging is damaging our literacy and communication skills as a society. Calling someone on the phone or writing them a letter is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. There is a new language that is being learned and not taught across the globe. It is the language of Textese, and it has quickly consumed the lives of millions across the world. There will always be the protector of language arts. These are the shrinking number of people everyone knows, that will continue to handwrite letters and sign them with proper English and etiquette. It may be as simple as picking up the phone and calling a friend or relative. It may be even simpler than that, in that people put forth an effort to talk to the person sitting next to or across from you and engage them in a conversation. Texting and textisms have become so common and widespread that using proper English, correct spelling, and full sentences is also becoming a thing of the past. People that constantly use text and instant messaging may have difficulty with literacy and expressing themselves in writing form. The research shows that text messaging has deteriorated how we communicate and express ourselves because textisms have become an easier and quicker form of communication that has affected literacy in children and adults.
Texting is a negative aspect of many teens live, and here’s why. According to Dr.Dowell, “A lack of sleep can lead to weight gain and even obesity.” This shows that sleep loss can be detrimental to a teenager. In conclusion, texting has a negative impact on teens, but some people say otherwise.
“Texting in Class a Growing Problem.” TheKanson.com. 7 December 2010. Singel, Ryan. The.