Dreading that one word message
My phone was lying on the coffee table and suddenly I heard the familiar vibration when I receive a message or email. Generally my phone is with me in my pocket or purse but when I put it down a little away from me, that generally means I need a break and don’t want to know what’s happening in the world of my apps.
Some people keep their phone notifications on silent while others let the phone beep every time a new message appears. Some phones flash the notification like a ticker and the phone keeps lighting up. Instant messaging has become such a norm that many conversation etiquettes have been broken.
What’s the most annoying instant message that you have ever received? Surprisingly it’s the simple “hey” or “hi.” Then there is silence. Nothing beyond that one word. I have been wondering about such messages since I have received them a number of times lately.
When you are on the receiving end of such a message chances are your heart skips a beat. Depending on who the person is that is messaging you, your mind goes into a frenzy. You don’t know whether to fear the next line or simply wonder why the person hasn’t said anything else. It could be bad news or someone could be wanting a favor. If it’s someone you are close to, maybe you won’t think too much about this ambiguous one word message. However, anyone else that you don’t feel so intimately close to, a message like this can leave you bugged.
Why do people leave such messages? If it’s a friend then maybe they are just bored and checking in to see if you are around and available to chit chat. Or maybe they aren’t thinking much and it’s simply a quick easy way to start a conversation. However, if it’s anyone else from your larger “friends” circle or maybe a work colleague, then it makes you stop and think. How does one respond to one word messages. Are you the suspicious kind or are you the give the benefit of the doubt kind? Or maybe you are simply in the same mood as the sender and reply back with the same one word!
Conversation etiquettes have changed so much. Most of us are not sitting face to face. We cannot see each other’s expressions nor hear each other’s tone of voice. There is no right time for conversation anymore because everyone can be reached whenever simply by one tap on your phone. Have we lost the ability to judge what is considered appropriate messaging? Do we think about the impact of our messages or our choice of words? Does the safety of being at a distance give us the liberty to message however and whenever we want?