If anyone calls me, it’s either ‘my house is on fire and I’m simultaneously being robbed’ or I will go to their house and light them on fire.
Anything short of a live emergency gets conveyed through text/pictures. This is universal for my friend circle. Just got shot and are in the ER? Picture. Just got clocked doing 115 in your prius because you are fighting shitting yourself in the middle of nowhere? Text. Doctors office wants to confirm my appointment next week? Text. My credit card has some unusual activity? Text, asking me to call them. The basement is flooded after a big storm? Picture. House actually on fire and you are freaking out waiting for the firefighters? Fine, call. And record a video while you’re at it.
I don’t think I’ve ever left a voicemail. Ever. Text, email, sky writing, smoke signals. Just no calls.
I like talking with my friends over the phone every other weekend because we live in different cities.
Here’s a question, though: do you ever voice chat with anybody, like, via Discord? I could see how newer generations would prefer that over a phone call, but that would be today’s equivalent.
I use discord daily, and I used to use skype, and xfire, and teamspeak, and ventrillo… Way way back when, I had a friend call me on the weekends so we could ‘voice chat’ while playing games.
I think my whole circle is ‘anti-phone’ because when the phone rings, or when you have to make a call, it’s never good. Issues with the bank, bugging the mechanic to get your car fixed, calling insurance because they fucked up again, calling out for work because you’re sick, calling about a job/interview… Versus casual voice chat where you aren’t on edge the whole time, where you can set your headset down and get a drink, go to the bathroom… You aren’t chained to a physical location or object. Where you can ask someone to repeat themselves 3 times and not be struck off the interview list because of a poor cell connection. Phone calls are so… Stressful, limiting, requiring most or all of your attention. Scheduling things, calculating finances, making plans for a group, and you can’t go back and listen to the conversation again, you have to understand everything and get everything right, the first time…
So even my best friends, when they call, and they know it’s a serious occurrence and they ‘would have texted but’, but the ringing still sets me on edge.
Phone calls are so… Stressful, limiting, requiring most or all of your attention
Sorry you had that experience. To me, phone calls are not more inconvenient than any other form of voice chat. Put in your hands-free headphones and go on with your business around the house or wherever you are out there in the world.
I should note that I’m disabled (substantially physically, and a touch cognitively) - I wasn’t always like this, but life sucks sometimes. But also, when I interact with people in any ‘serious’ capacity, it is absolutely imperative that I ingest all the information and data accurately, retain it fully, and then take action appropriately. With texts or email, I can reread and make sure that I understand things correctly, make sure I didn’t forget details, etc. It is so stressful because I can’t go back and make sure I got all the details correct, or whatever else. I can’t reassure myself that I completed a task to absolute completion. So the pressure to process all of a conversation is immense. Then, being a perfectionist sure doesn’t help…
I never leave voicemails to friends. I’ll text them afterwards if they don’t pick up. “Yo, called to say hey. cya”
If anyone calls me, it’s either ‘my house is on fire and I’m simultaneously being robbed’ or I will go to their house and light them on fire.
Anything short of a live emergency gets conveyed through text/pictures. This is universal for my friend circle. Just got shot and are in the ER? Picture. Just got clocked doing 115 in your prius because you are fighting shitting yourself in the middle of nowhere? Text. Doctors office wants to confirm my appointment next week? Text. My credit card has some unusual activity? Text, asking me to call them. The basement is flooded after a big storm? Picture. House actually on fire and you are freaking out waiting for the firefighters? Fine, call. And record a video while you’re at it.
I don’t think I’ve ever left a voicemail. Ever. Text, email, sky writing, smoke signals. Just no calls.
I like talking with my friends over the phone every other weekend because we live in different cities.
Here’s a question, though: do you ever voice chat with anybody, like, via Discord? I could see how newer generations would prefer that over a phone call, but that would be today’s equivalent.
I use discord daily, and I used to use skype, and xfire, and teamspeak, and ventrillo… Way way back when, I had a friend call me on the weekends so we could ‘voice chat’ while playing games.
I think my whole circle is ‘anti-phone’ because when the phone rings, or when you have to make a call, it’s never good. Issues with the bank, bugging the mechanic to get your car fixed, calling insurance because they fucked up again, calling out for work because you’re sick, calling about a job/interview… Versus casual voice chat where you aren’t on edge the whole time, where you can set your headset down and get a drink, go to the bathroom… You aren’t chained to a physical location or object. Where you can ask someone to repeat themselves 3 times and not be struck off the interview list because of a poor cell connection. Phone calls are so… Stressful, limiting, requiring most or all of your attention. Scheduling things, calculating finances, making plans for a group, and you can’t go back and listen to the conversation again, you have to understand everything and get everything right, the first time…
So even my best friends, when they call, and they know it’s a serious occurrence and they ‘would have texted but’, but the ringing still sets me on edge.
Sorry you had that experience. To me, phone calls are not more inconvenient than any other form of voice chat. Put in your hands-free headphones and go on with your business around the house or wherever you are out there in the world.
I should note that I’m disabled (substantially physically, and a touch cognitively) - I wasn’t always like this, but life sucks sometimes. But also, when I interact with people in any ‘serious’ capacity, it is absolutely imperative that I ingest all the information and data accurately, retain it fully, and then take action appropriately. With texts or email, I can reread and make sure that I understand things correctly, make sure I didn’t forget details, etc. It is so stressful because I can’t go back and make sure I got all the details correct, or whatever else. I can’t reassure myself that I completed a task to absolute completion. So the pressure to process all of a conversation is immense. Then, being a perfectionist sure doesn’t help…
🫨