We've all agreed to just call each other now, because texting is too much work.
By @nicolately · Family
My old friends and I were in a group chat, and it was a mess of notifications and short, meaningless replies. We decided to ditch it and just call when we want to talk. Now my kids are making fun of me.
The full story
I'm in my 50s, and I've had the same group of friends since we were in our twenties. We've always been good at keeping in touch, but lately, with texting, it feels like we're saying less and less. The group chat was just a constant stream of 'lol,' 'omg,' and pictures of food. It felt like a chore to keep up with dozens of tiny little messages that didn't really say anything. So, last week, one of us suggested we just... stop. We disabled the group chat and made a pact to go back to how we used to do it: actually calling each other on the phone. It's been wonderful. I've had longer, more meaningful conversations in the last week than I have in the last year of texting. It feels like we're really connecting again. Here's the thing. My daughter (24) and son (22) think this is the most hilarious and ancient thing they've ever heard. They say we're 'technologically incompetent' and 'acting like boomers.' They can't understand why anyone would prefer a phone call to a quick text. I tried to explain that it's not about the technology, it's about the quality of the conversation, but they just laugh. It makes me wonder if they have a point, or if they're just missing the point.
How people voted
- OP Is Right — 33% (18 votes)
- Both Messy — 27% (15 votes)
- OP Is Wrong — 40% (22 votes)
Readers are split: “OP Is Wrong” leads with 40% — 55 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@benkk — I'm 28 and I wish my friends would do this. Texting is exhausting.
@oscarhm — Your kids are right. Just text. It's not that hard.
@yeahno — I'm on your side. There's nothing wrong with wanting a real conversation instead of a thousand 'lol's.
@benyk — Your kids will understand when they're older and all their friends have moved away.
@tessactually — My family has a group chat and it's 90% my dad sending links to articles no one reads.
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