Why do you hate the phone?

[nminusone]

It seems like many people on my flist (of those who have my #) dislike using the phone, so I thought I'd do a little survey. How do you feel about the phone? Why? Does it depend on the person, how long you've known them, or other factors like who called whom? In short, explain yourself

Comments

[firebirdgrrl]

I love the phone and I don't think I really have a rational reason--I just do!

[nminusone]

Can you describe your reasons, rational or not, or are they more subconscious? I don't have any strong reasons why other people should use the phone, but I definitely have reasons *I* like using it, rational or not.

[boadiccea]

I'm an introvert, and phone = extroversion. To me, at least. :)

I prefer in-person stuff to anything else. Phone sort of drains my energy more.

[nminusone]

So 1 on 1 via the phone is worse than 1 on 1 in person? I think a friend of mine said the same thing but I can't recall why she felt that way. I definitely prefer 1 on 1 to groups, but for me the phone is almost as good as face to face... at least for conversation, as opposed to more physical pursuits. ;)

[boadiccea]

One on one in person is definitely better than one on one on phone.

(That sentence looks funny. *g)

There's just something energetically draining about phone conversation, for me, even with people I really like. A short convo is fine, and the occasional long convo is fine, but the long ones really have to be fewer and farther between, for me. But, that being said, I'll take 'em if that's the only contact I can have with a person. (e.g., my mom and dad, who live in TX. We have a long convo at least once a week b/c of this.)

[nminusone]

One on one in person is definitely better than one on one on phone.

(That sentence looks funny. *g)

I know there's a joke to be made about "Hot 3-way calling action!", but I'll leave it as an exercise for the reader. ;)  kimberlogic said the same thing, that 1 on 1 in person is better than phone. Part of why I prefer f2f is that I like the physical, bodies-talking thing you only get in person. That only happens with a few people of course, but I really like those conversations. :)

I don't have your phone number, but this is one of my hot button issues.

[fatesfolly]

I don't have time to chitter chat on the phone these days.

My friend Amanda is about the only one who gets a lengthy amount of time with me on the phone and usually, it's when I'm stuck in the car. She's started to resent this, too.

As a teenager, I loved talking on the phone. It continued through college and really, until I moved up here. When I'm at home, I'm doing things there or simply relaxing. And relaxing includes reading, watching tv, spending time w/ friends... all things that are not conducive to talking on the phone.

IMs are convenient, to a degree, because I'm stuck in front of a computer most days. Plus, I'm a writer, so I feel that I communicate better when I write than when I speak.

:)

Re: I don't have your phone number, but this is one of my hot button issues.

[nminusone]

I want everyone's input, whether we've swapped phone numbers or not, and yeah, this seems to be a hot button for many people.

I can see a writer liking IM. I'm a very slow writer, but in conversation something clicks and I do well. The feedback makes it easier for me to express myself.

It's actually easier for me to multitask on the phone since I'm not glued to the computer. Or I can be IMing someone else. ;) Which makes me realize that I also like the undivided attention that phone calls (usually) get, just as I enjoy undivided attention in person. Part of what I love about conversation is the intensity, and that works best 1 on 1.

Re: I don't have your phone number, but this is one of my hot button issues.

[fatesfolly]

Ooooooooo. yeah.

My sister in law actually gets out of breath from talking to me AND doing other things. Sometimes, I get annoyed enough to ask if she's running a marathon of something!

Re: I don't have your phone number, but this is one of my hot button issues.

[nminusone]

The intensity is a big thing for me, with some people. You get that thing where time goes away. It happens for me on IM too, but mostly in person or on the phone.

My sister in law actually gets out of breath from talking to me AND doing other things.

Ok, I'm not that bad! If we're on the phone and I'm out of breath you can be sure it's from our conversation, not anything else I'm doing. ;)

[bulletslc]

I pretty much hate the phone and only like it if I'm checking on hooking up for a get together or the occassional LOOOOOOONNNNNGGGG conversation with my mother or long distance SO.

Mostly I'm just much easier to get ahold of by email....I think that's because I work graveyards and HATE being woken up by the phone....but emails I can answer whenever I'm awake!

[nminusone]

I do like that I can answer email when I have the time, and that I can take time to think about it. I just spent about 3 days, on and off, writing a reply to someone. It wasn't long, complicated or stressful, it just took me a while to think about what to say and how to say it clearly.

I hate being woken up by the phone too. Oddly it's the only thing that *really* does it. I can sleep through alarms, riots, raves (a funny story, that) and WWIII, but the phone usually wakes me right up.

p.s. Your party sounded like fun! Not that there was any danger of me getting lost in my neighborhood and ending up in yours, but I'm sorry I missed it.

[vvalkyri]

I tend to like the phone in a way i'm growing to dislike email and text - possible to clarify and get clarification and get signals that aren't there in text.

I tene to call people while I'm doing different things, rather than if Im' totally idle.

[nminusone]

A few people mentioned the lack of cues in text and (sometimes) on the phone as a big problem but I don't mind it that much. I do try not to take things too seriously until I'm sure I understood correctly. I like to think I can get or give clarification in any medium, but it's a LOT easier in real time, and better still face to face.

I seldom call people when I'm doing things but I'm happy to be called, if it's something I can postpone or multitask.

[vvalkyri]

:half smile: Except that your and my experience is a perfect example of the pitfalls of text. It's very hard to control how one's tone comes across in text - your increased formality when trying to be as clear as possible felt to me very different from how you intended it.

I've assumed you'd prefer not to be called of late; I can add you back to my people-to-randomly-call mental list.

[nminusone]

Yeah, I can't entirely control how people interpret my tone, and often I don't even realize how I come across until too late. Text can be harder, but I've run into the same problem f2f and probably will on the phone. Unfortunately what seems simple and straightforward to me is grating or worse to some people.

I've assumed you'd prefer not to be called [...]

Apropos of which, I don't think LJ is the best medium for that discussion.