Alex's Essay 1

New mediums arise, eliminating verbal over the phone communication

Throughout the past few years phone companies nationwide have inherited a new form of communication known as text messaging, SMS, or texting. This innovative and rather trendy form of communication simply consists of a brief 160 character message, sent to and from mobile phones (Farkas 174). Typically most phone companies such as AT&T, Verizon, & T-mobile, offer an unlimited text messaging service in their packages, and continually encourage many of their customers to purchase them. Ever since this instant phenomenon occurred, text messaging has taken off into a world of its own. And with that, the sudden materialization of text messaging has caused a vast amount of individuals to retort to instant text messaging rather than verbally communicating over the phone.

To claim that verbal communication outweighs text messaging, is like stating that the tape recorder outweighs the iPod, it is simply untrue. Ever since the immergence of text messaging, verbal communication over the telephone has become secondary. With the rise of a fast pace culture that thrives of instant gratification, mediums such as text messaging assist in sustaining the speed. Text messaging allows its users to instantly relay messages to numerous individuals at a certain time. Verbal communication over the telephone on the other hand can only relay information to one individual at a time. Say for example a high school senior found out she got accepted into Harvard. Upon finding out this thrilling information, she naturally would care to spread the news to her family and friends. By verbally communicating over the phone, the student would have to individually call each one of her contacts to spread the news. Yet with text messaging, the student is able to type out her news and send it to all her contacts at the same time, making the process of relaying information faster for the student.

Texting messaging also allows individuals to relay confidential information in communal settings. Individuals speaking over their cellular devices, typically have no choice but to allow their verbal conversations to be heard by other individuals in an audible range. Often time’s people will wait to dispatch private information until they are unaccompanied. Text messaging makes relaying private information accessible at all hours of the day. If a woman wished to tell a man her personal emotions regarding a affiliation, she would most likely have to wait until their next meeting. Yet with text messaging, the woman is able of corresponding her emotions at any time whether she is at school, work, or simply spending a day with friends.

With telephone companies providing text messaging nationwide, a vast amount of the population possess their own cellular device. And with the soaring prices of cellular phone bills, many individuals attempt to keep their billing statements to a minimum. As David Ball states in his How to do everything in your Ipaq “Text messaging is much less expensive than calling someone on your cell phone, in fact, he states, calling the person to give them the exact same message almost invariably takes more time and costs more” (Ball 94). What Ball points is something many individuals have already discovered. Verbally communicating over the telephone is not only more time consuming, but also more expensive. With our economy on the verge of an economic crisis, and our society evolving to a fast paced culture, it seems only natural to eliminate verbal communication over the telephone, and replace it with a medium much more gratifying to the new standards.

The emergence of instant messaging through cellular devices has been customized to the immediacy, confidentiality, and economic stability of the Western culture today. This particular medium as McLuhan would state, pays homage to older media, but facilitating the requirements of our present day culture (McLuhan 177). In our fast pace society, verbal communication (via the telephone) no longer can adhere to societies rapidly growing standards. While there are many environments that this technology is deemed as inappropriate (such as religious gatherings, classroom settings, and work environments) individuals will still find ways to utilize this popular medium. Because of its compactness the majority of Western society has a cellular device on them at all hours of the day, so they may swiftly correspond with any individual around the globe whenever they desire to.

Ultimately the sudden emergence of text messaging has replaced verbal communication and has become the way of life for many Americans. Not only does this medium provide users with instant gratification (something verbal communication cannot), but has also allowed individuals to communicate with friends and family anywhere anytime, at a lower cost. Together the benefits of this medium adhere to societies standards for a fast paced culture.


Work Cited
Ball, Derek. How to Do Everything with Your IPAQ Pocket PC. McGraw-Hill Professional, 2006.

Farkas, Meredith. Social Software in Libraries: Building Collaboration, Communication, and Community Online. Information Today, Inc. 2007

McLuhan, Eric. Essential McLuhan. House of Anasi, 1995.