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Text an escape route
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Youngsters are using the SMS to wriggle out of edgy situations, rather than call or face friends up front
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Photo: K. ANANTHAN
SHORT ’N’ SWEET Keying in your whines and whimpers
“Im vry sry bt i wil b 30 mn lte. c u sn. ths trffc i tel u!” A college student texts her friend whom she is going to meet and lets her know that she is going to be half an hour late because she is stuck in traffic. A recent Associated Press-AOL poll that was released said that “more than four in 10, or 43 per cent of US teens who instant message, use it for things they wouldn’t say in person.”
So does that sound like something all too familiar? Sending an SMS has become the dominating function of cell phones over phone calls for school and college students.
Fast and simple
It’s fast, simple and saves them the hassle of hearing an obvious retort or a knowing sigh. But with the urban and privileged younger generation who’ve practically grown up with cell phones, a text message is not really an ‘indirect’ way of communication but is the done thing.
For a population who use SMS on a large scale – whether it is to send random thoughts and musings all night long, or to inform a friend that he/she will be late or won’t turn up at all, SMS is not an ‘escapist’ communicator.
Shwetha Bidap, a bank employee, says, “I prefer to call up as it is more mature and has a personal touch, if I am in an uncomfortable situation. For if I call, then there are no hard feelings and puts things at ease.” She feels that it also depends on how well you know the person which will determine whether you send a SMS or call. “I think it’s a pain to send a message as you’ll have to think about what to give as reasons.” She adds, “But if I am in a meeting or in a position where I can’t call, then I have no option but to send an SMS.”
Class 11 student Sumanto Mondal feels that it is because sending an SMS is cheaper, his generation prefers to use this more. “I think that sending an SMS if you’re late or not coming at all is more than enough.”
He also feels that it depends from person to person. “People with an ‘attitude problem’ tend to just drop in an SMS more if they are late, for he or she feels that they doing you a big favour by sending an SMS in the first place.”
Third year college student Abhimanyu Ghoshal says, “I try calling when I can.” But he feels that it depends who you’re sending an SMS to. “My folks wouldn’t be comfortable with the idea of receiving an SMS instead of a phone call if I am late home.”
Psychologist Manika Ghosh says: “The use of electronic gadgets in sending emails or SMSes are virtual tools for communication. Speaking one-to-one on the phone or face-to-face is direct and straightforward. Communication is a two-way process and an email or SMS does not come under that category. Sending an SMS in awkward situations is the easier way out.”
But she also feels that it is because of the limited pocket money that teenagers get which makes them send SMSes. “Detection on a cell phone is much easier – especially when it comes to the tone of the voice. Also, it poses the inconvenience of being heard when you don’t want to be.”
She concludes, “It’s cheap, easy and non-confrontational. It also gives the user a wall to hide behind as you can’t gauge one’s expression.”
Harshita Chandrasekhar, a third year college student says, “SMS, irrespective of it being cheap or not, is a way for people to get out of situations. But it helps in starting off a topic and taking it to the next level of a phone call.”
But if a friend is trying to squeeze herself out of a situation, then Harshitha makes sure she calls up the person immediately and confronts him or her.
Sending an instant message is definitely a smooth and clever way to wriggle out of situations – but one has to take many other parameters into count. It’s cheaper (if not free), quicker, accepted and expected amongst GenX.
AYESHA MATTHAN
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