this post was submitted on 22 Sep 2023
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[–] [email protected] 32 points 1 year ago (7 children)

Why are people afraid of calls these days?

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

I wouldn't say we're afraid. I don't particularly like speaking on the phone though, but it's alright, I even worked call center for a while so it doesn't bother me much these days.

Anyways, essentially texting is just more efficient. I can't speak for everyone else, but for instance at work, I hate it when I have a question or need assistance on a specific topic, ask on my team chat and have a couple of people saying "quick call?".

If it's something really complex, fine... that's fair. Other than that? It's just so inefficient. I can be working on something else and just reply during my off time between tasks, same with whoever I ask help from. Also, most of the time I'm listening to music, or I have my TV with ambience sound on the background. So then I have to turn everything off just so I can go for a 5minute call for something that could be done over chat on the same amount of time.

Sorry this comment turned out way longer than I thought it would.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)

So asynchronous communication can be more efficient for certain types of communication, but in other scenarios synchronous communication will be more efficient. Learning to identify which type of communication fits which type of mode is a valuable skill to have, one I recommend that everyone develops.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

I get what you mean. Overall, if it's not urgent I'd rather not make/receive calls.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I do miss that magic period of early cheap VoIP where my friends and I would have a call going more or less in the background while all doing our own things. A lower-cost impromptu hangout before we all had cars.
That was never about efficient transfer of information though. Calling with demands is just intrusive.

Not that I ever turn my ringer on. Dang robocallers.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Because I'm doing something else and I'm not going to just drop everything to receive information synchronously which could be sent asynchronously.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

It's alright to press the red button, you know.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

It's easier to weigh the relative importance and time sensitivity of the incoming message against the importance of what you're doing via text rather than a call.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Because anything not important can be sent through a text. Most people call because it's something important or a big deal and at a lot of the times it's not a good call. So that's why people don't like phone calls because the thing that's on the other end is most likely non-desirable.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I find that it's generally more helpful to practice grabbing the metaphorical bull by the horns. The more you avoid it, the less used you are to dealing with it, and the worse it makes you feel.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I think it's an American thing. Calling someone isn't weird here in the civilised world. Maybe it's their problem with robocalls. Maybe their paying too much for calls.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Nah, it's a generational thing and an introvert thing.

Gen Z was born after the widespread adoption of cell phones with texting capability making old fashioned phone calls more or less obsolete outside of emergencies and the like and thus don't like the unnecessary hassle.

Meanwhile, some of us millenials and older are taking a cue from them and realising that we don't HAVE TO do phone calls all the time if we don't want to.

I live in Denmark and the only people who regularly call me are my boomer parents. Everyone else only call me if they need to get a hold of me immediately, as it should be.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'm Gen X. I grew up with a landline and no caller ID, and if the phone rang you mostly just answered it, unless you were screening calls. Could be your best friend asking if you want to go to the mall, could be your least favorite aunt calling to whine at your mom for whatever her latest minor ailment is. In which case you're stuck making polite small talk until your mom is done drying her hair or whatever.

It sucked a lot.

Now I've got a cell and caller ID. Unless I'm expecting a call, I never answer the phone. If it's important, they'll leave a message. Usually it's not even a little bit important.

And my boomer mom just loves to call for a long pointless chat. If I see her name on the caller ID, I have to decide whether I have an hour minimum to waste because it's never shorter than that. 🙄

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Nah, calls only if you can't put it in a few sentences, is a thing here too.