Has Texting Replaced Talking For Teens?

Hugh Pickens writes "Sue Shellenbarger has an interesting essay in the WSJ where she talks about the 2,000 incoming text messages her son racks up every month — more than 60 two-way communications via text message every day — and her surprise that 2,000 monthly text messages is about average for today's teenagers. 'I have seen my son suffer no apparent ill effects (except a sore thumb now and then), and he reaps a big benefit, of easy, continuing contact with many friends,' writes Shellenbarger. 'Also, the time he spends texting replaces the hours teens used to spend on the phone; both my kids dislike talking on the phone, and say they really don't need to do so to stay in touch with friends and family.' But does texting make today's kids stupid, as Mark Bauerlein writes in his book ' The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future? 'I don't think so. It may make them annoying, when they try to text and talk to you at the same time,' writes Shellenbarger, adding, 'I have found him more engaged and easier to communicate with from afar, because he is constantly available via text message and responds with a faithfulness and speed that any mother would find reassuring.'"

Re:And next they'll want them to get off the lawn

[antifoidulus]

Yes, but think how many 80s sitcom jokes about teenage girls tying up the phone lines are now incomprehensible to today's hip youth culture.

pb

[Hognoxious]

I have seen my son suffer no apparent ill effects (except a sore thumb now and then)

She thinks it's texting that causes that?

Re:2000!?

[Anpheus]

Do you offer a No Kids On Lawn guarantee while they're away? It's very important.

Re:Hmmmm......

[Sebilrazen]

Sure they do, they're called mod points.

Re:And next they'll want them to get off the lawn

[Runaway1956]

A refreshing breath of honesty. Someone mod this youngster up. Then chase him off the lawn, please.

Re:2000!?

[RichardJenkins]

Jeez, for the last time: I'm sorry I put you on those spam lists. Let it go man, let it go.

lol

[Anonymous Coward]

"Has Texting Replaced Talking For Teens?"

no, wot m8k u sa dat

all your futures are belong to us

[Quiet_Desperation]

Right on, Sister! Fight the power! All these big daddies are just aging wannabe hepcats. They are so uncool! So square! They just don't groove to our crazy lingo, you dig? They're such drags, such freams! Our gen has it made in the shade with our omnitasking powers of metathink and nonlinear preceptrons in the temporal. I think it's time to text the droogs together for an indulgence in ultraviolence to pilot our savvy into the record, tight me? If the dudes come through with their yarbles in dobby condition, we can spend some hourage back at the crib with the old lubbilubbing.

Re:And next they'll want them to get off the lawn

[Chees0rz]

Speaking of jokes that aren't applicable to today...

If you go back and watch Seinfeld, it's amazing that the majority of their problems could have been solved by a method of instant communication.

Re:Hmmmm......

[TheVelvetFlamebait]

*slow clap*