Talking on the phone.

[lovemydog]

Just got off a phone conversation with a friend in NYC. We had a nice chat.

A lot of people don't like talking much on a phone.

How do you like it?

[KMOD]

1. I love it, but it depends on the age group.

My peers and my older friends all talk on the phone.

My younger friends just text me.

All that said, I prefer to actually physically get together with people. That way there are hugs.

[lovemydog]

4. Yeah, no substitute for hugs.

It seems like younger people don't like talking on phone as much. Maybe it reminds them too much of their parents bugging them.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

2. DO NOT LIKE!!11!

Seriously I prefer to talk to people in person, and cell phones are even worse than landlines, because they are not even tethered to an originating space. Its like talking to disembodied ghosts. What really freaks me out are people walking along by themelves talking through bluetooths. I always think they are being bizarrely friendly when they walk up to me talking, ...and then keep walking past.

[lovemydog]

5. Haha, that happens to me in cities too.

I'm like 'oh, they're asking me a question or saying hello' then it's like 'wait, they're just making sure they don't bump into me.'

Yeah, phone connections can get pretty messed up these days. Maybe that's a reason lots of people don't like it.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

9. Yeah, then there's when I have conversations with this guy...

Now, Give me back my phone!

[lovemydog]

20. Yeah, that guy's such a Debbie Downer.

I've blocked his number.

[drm604]

3. I've done it my whole life.

It's only since texting came along that so many people suddenly have a dislike of it. I don't really understand why since the human voice is a much superior method of communication for many things.

[lovemydog]

6. Yeah. I love texting too.

But if the connection is good, I like the phone as well. I guess different ways. If it someone I really like, or related to some business type thing, in person is definitely best and phone seems second best.

[drm604]

8. I will text for some things.

"I should be there in 5 minutes."
"I'll meet you at the restaurant."

But for lengthy back and forth conversations, nothing beats talking. It was a huge breakthrough when we moved from telegraph to voice. Now it's almost like some people want to go back.

Part of the problem is the way the phone companies price plans. X minutes plus unlimited texting. I can see why that could drive people to text more. The phone companies are using pricing to drive us to what is, in some ways, a more primitive method of communication in order to save their bandwidth costs.

Some form of texting could have existed with landlines. Especially right before cell phones came along. But they didn't offer it because they knew no one would want it. Now, like I said, they're pushing us into it with pricing.

[lovemydog]

11. I hadn't even thought of that.

A lot of people don't have unlimited talking plans.

[HeiressofBickworth]

7. I'm an old lady

who still talks on the phone. I have a cell phone but it's a dumb one (not a smart phone). I can make calls and I can receive calls and I can receive voice mails. I have never sent a text message -- who would I send it to? None of my friends text. I prefer phone calls because one can hear inflections in the other party's voice. It's just more intimate. I have a couple of friends and a couple of relatives with whom I share information (genealogy) by email. But I'm more likely to pick up a phone to have a chat.

[lovemydog]

12. That's nice, staying in touch with friends.

Whatever you enjoy most, I say keep it up!

[handmade34]

10. hate talking on the phone!

[lovemydog]

13. If it's not a number I recognize

I let it go to voice mail.

Texts & emails are better when you don't feel like talking. For me it depends on who is calling & what I'm up to.

[femmocrat]

14. I hate talking on the phone.

I hate the awkward silences.

[Phentex]

15. Love it. My problem is...

I can talk for an hour or more especially when it's someone I haven't talked to in a while. So I find myself having to plan when I can talk so that I don't have to cut somebody off to leave for work or something.

[NV Whino]

16. Hate it.

[PasadenaTrudy]

17. Nope.

At 51, I'm so glad I can just text now. I'm an introvert and not a talkative person by nature.

[fizzgig]

18. i talk to my parents and grandfather on the phone

sometimes one of my bffs if we haven't spoken for a long time, but text is my primary mode of communication.

[pipi_k]

19. Have always despised it, even

as a teenager.

Now I hate it more because I can't hear/understand what the person on the other end is saying.

Plus I like the idea of being able to think through my replies before responding, so texting works very well for me.