Younger people and phone usage

[Masaniello]

I read an interesting article recently about younger people (teenagers to those in their twenties) and phone usage. Autism was not specifically discussed but it is relevant. Essentially, it seems younger people use their phones for anything but phone calls. Emails, text messages, social media communication, and anything else except making a phone call is the preference for a lot of people. Some are almost developing a phobia about making calls. Others are getting rather precious about receiving calls because they are disruptive (news flash: life is disruptive).

The article made me think about my own hesitation re: phone calls. I'm certainly going to make an effort to call more often rather than email. Emails and texts can be easily ignored. And if you think a phone call is anxiety inducing, I can tell you texts and social media postings can take my anxiety up a notch or two.

Phone call hesitation, according to this article, is hampering people at work. I can see that. I need to call many of my clients because they do not use email or electronic communications due to their disability. In my work, I must meet the client where they are at and often this means a phone and a face-to-face meeting.

 

[Seladon]

I mean, I’m a Millennial into my 30s and I’ve always been like this, so it can’t exclusively be a ‘young people problem’.

Used to hate picking up the landline (remember those?) when it rang, and as a teen I always tried to either pretend I didn’t hear it or get someone else to answer. Then in my 20s I had a few terrible low-rent jobs which involved exploitative (beyond disruptive) managers & bosses (Boomers) harassing me with out-of-hours and inappropriate phone calls. So yeah, am not the biggest fan of the telephonic function.

Actually love a text, I do. It’s short, clear, timestamped, gives me time to think, and is appropriate to respond to with one word or symbol if I haven’t energy for more. Tidy.

 

[Masaniello]

I’ll find the actual article and post it.

 

[Masaniello]

Here's the article: Young people hate making phone calls – could it be hurting their careers?

 

[Misery]

42 here, and I dont use mine for calls either. Granted, I also dont really use it for texting, and I dont use social media whatsoever. As far as I'm concerned it's really just a weird portable computer that happens to have a couple of phone-like functions. The issue with phone calls and texts to me is that they involve dealing with other people, so... yeah, I'd rather not. Overall the family has mostly learned not to bother texting me or anything. I take a million years to respond to texts, and I dont pick up for calls at all, even if its right next to me.

My parents on the other hand do use their phones as phones, quite a bit, but they also spend waaaaaaaayyyyyyyy more time poking at other things on there. There's times when I wonder why they even have a big TV in the living room, because I'll go in there, and instead of looking at that, they'll both be buried in their phones.

 

[Masaniello]

I have had a few anxiety-provoking emails that were sorted out via phone call. I thought why didn't you call in the first instance? Anxiety triggers of course vary from person to person.

 

[Princess Viola]

Honestly I'm in my late 20s (so in that weird end of Millennial/start of Gen Z period for the generation I'm part of) and I just don't like making phone calls because I just really struggle to talk to people and it's easier for me to get my thoughts together via a text or an email (I can also go back and reread a text/email to remind myself of what was discussed rather than having to try and remember).

I also hate receiving phone calls because it seems 9/10 calls you get these days are just attempted scams. It's easy to avoid on mobile since it'll say 'Suspected Scam Call' (and even if it doesn't, if the call ain't from my area code - I ain't answering it because I do not know anyone who lives in like Texas) but on my landline (which I still have for...reasons), no caller ID so I have to pick up every call. But let me tell you as soon as I hear an accent and some nonsense about being from 'the cable company' or whatever, I am hanging up.

 

[Tired]

I'm 28 and I'll just paste this here.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

I read an interesting article recently about younger people (teenagers to those in their twenties) and phone usage. Autism was not specifically discussed but it is relevant. Essentially, it seems younger people use their phones for anything but phone calls. Emails, text messages, social media communication, and anything else except making a phone call is the preference for a lot of people. Some are almost developing a phobia about making calls. Others are getting rather precious about receiving calls because they are disruptive (news flash: life is disruptive).

The article made me think about my own hesitation re: phone calls. I'm certainly going to make an effort to call more often rather than email. Emails and texts can be easily ignored. And if you think a phone call is anxiety inducing, I can tell you texts and social media postings can take my anxiety up a notch or two.

Phone call hesitation, according to this article, is hampering people at work. I can see that. I need to call many of my clients because they do not use email or electronic communications due to their disability. In my work, I must meet the client where they are at and often this means a phone and a face-to-face meeting.

A phone call or face-to-face is about the only way you can get anyone to drop what they are doing and can get things done. A text or an e-mail can be ignored or put aside. Pissed off that someone isn't doing something they should or is taking an excessive amount of time? Show up unannounced and meet them face-to-face. When they have that "Oh crap!" moment and get called out on their lack of action, it's somewhat enjoyable to watch. Old people don't mess around.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

I'm a boomer never liked phone calls even while working, like to read the body language.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

I'm a boomer never liked phone calls even while working, like to read the body language.

I guess I am more "assertive" than some. At work, I despise waiting for others.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

I worked alone long thin plant lots of walking to get to office still preferred face to face contact.

 

[jsilver256]

I guess I am more "assertive" than some. At work, I despise waiting for others.

To be fair, given the physical details you've shared, it sounds like anyone should be scared to make you wait....

 

[Mr. Stevens]

I'm 28 and I'll just paste this here. View attachment 131790

I started to laugh, seeing this. Not at you, but because I relate so much. I hate phone calls. I've worked in call centers, even doing bill collections. It was pure torture.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

To be fair, given the physical details you've shared, it sounds like anyone should be scared to make you wait....

I'm a big ol' Teddy Bear,...until I'm not.

 

[Peter Morrison]

I read an interesting article recently about younger people (teenagers to those in their twenties) and phone usage. Autism was not specifically discussed but it is relevant. Essentially, it seems younger people use their phones for anything but phone calls. Emails, text messages, social media communication, and anything else except making a phone call is the preference for a lot of people. Some are almost developing a phobia about making calls. Others are getting rather precious about receiving calls because they are disruptive (news flash: life is disruptive).

The article made me think about my own hesitation re: phone calls. I'm certainly going to make an effort to call more often rather than email. Emails and texts can be easily ignored. And if you think a phone call is anxiety inducing, I can tell you texts and social media postings can take my anxiety up a notch or two.

Phone call hesitation, according to this article, is hampering people at work. I can see that. I need to call many of my clients because they do not use email or electronic communications due to their disability. In my work, I must meet the client where they are at and often this means a phone and a face-to-face meeting.

I think we will see positive and negative results from the way people feel glued to their phones. A significant amount will turn out to be negative. For many, phones are the necessary evil. It becomes a case of understanding the detrimental use of phones and the value they have in an emergency. Everyone will have to figure that out on their own. You seem to be well aware of that. I like this post.

 

[Masaniello]

I think we will see positive and negative results from the way people feel glued to their phones. A significant amount will turn out to be negative. For many, phones are the necessary evil. It becomes a case of understanding the detrimental use of phones and the value they have in an emergency. Everyone will have to figure that out on their own. You seem to be well aware of that. I like this post.

I see each communication method as appropriate for different things. I don't want to be told someone died via text. But an email will do if someone is sending me completed forms. They can also send them via the post. And of course in my job I must do what the client prefers and not the other way around.

 

[GrownupGirl]

As a gen x, I have a smart phone and all I can basically do on it is make phone calls. Or take pictures, but only because I asked my mother if I could have a camera added to it. I don't make phone calls on it very often. Seriously, it's bad enough I even have a home phone.

I don't get this texting thing at all, you need like fingers like knitting needles and it's agony trying to type something readable. I think young people are all becoming awful at spelling bcz tehy typ lik ths on their phones.

 

[FilterFreq]

I'm a gen Y and I've been phone-phobic for my entire adult life. In fact, for me it started well before the time when it did for a lot of others, so back then nobody could really relate to me. I don't know if I'm alone in this, but it feels like whenever I have some kind of crippling fear it becomes rather common a few decades later.

I wonder if any of this correlates with the rising rates of autism? I could see that being kind of cool, like, at least I'm in good company now and not so 'alien' . Gen Z sound like good people in that case!

 

[Mary Terry]

I use my cell phone for calls and texts. That's all. I don't use it to google stuff, social media (which I don't do anyway) or order stuff online. We also have a land line which I'll never give up until AT&T dies. Unlike others, I do not carry my cell phone with me everywhere I go unless I'm in the car or traveling. It's usually buried in my purse when I'm home. People have learned to call me on the land line because I can hear it ringing even when I'm outside in the yard or garden.

There is increasing evidence that too much screen time is very detrimental to children.