Do you think electronic communications are destroying relationships?

Thanks! You have a great point! Often the electronic communications facilitate being able to communicate when otherwise two people may have not communicated. As you will see in my reply in the above conversation. I also have to agree with you that in person communication is still a much more relating experience than texting. I suppose that in my original post, I should have brought up my issues with dealing with business people, those who want all dealings only via internet. I really don't feel that is a business relationship if both parties are in the same town. What do you think?

Hi Taco - I have to agree with you. I have been in sales for years and I have found that when people refuse to see me and just say "E-mail me something." that I am sunk. I'm sure there are a very few out there that do respond to the e-mail, but of all the time I have been selling, if one out of 20 have responded to the e-mail I'm exaggerating. I am always most effective when I am in person.

Well business relationships that are between people who don't live in the same town and mainly communicate between telephone and email are usually not strong ones. A business environment is a competing one where people are usually working for themselves and mainly try to get to know their boss better. Two business people often share an acquaintance relationship. The online communications shared between the people is usually not to better the relations between both people but to inform the other about business oriented information. So I think these communications only make speaking about that topic more comfortable which really does not help for two people trying to relate together personally. So, in a business sense, online communications often do not strengthen relationships.

I agree with e-mail in some aspects. I had a friend that I met over the internet who lived 2/3 across the country from me. Besides, she was deaf, so the best way to communicate was by e-mail and we carried on a 10 year friendship over e-mail and actually instant message. On the other hand, when my sisters who live in the same town and who are fully hearing and totally able to carry on a verbal conversation continually try to carry on a "text" relationship with me, after we have been sisters/friends for 40 to 0 years, depending on which sister we're talking about, I begin to feel like our relationship has disintegrated to black letters on an electronic screen.

That would bother me as well, but my family knows I do not do text and most of them do not either. My daughter and her husband will text about family matters while he is away at work, checking on shopping, etc, but he cannot read them until he is on a break. It is helpful to them as he works a long ways away.

That's true, Mickie - as you see in my above post, Instant Messaging has totally facilitated a 15 year friendship between me and a deaf girl who lives in Wisconsin, about 2,500 miles away from me.

Well, your take on it might explain why a few people won't pick up the phone with me. As I recently posted in a few comments back in this discussion, eventually I have determined that certain people just simply don't want to talk with me. The result, though is that I stop contacting them altogether. It's sad, but in some cases this is the result.

Exactly, I have heard of this so many times. People mistake what others have said when the meaning was completely the opposite. Where as if you had said it to the person on the phone they would have understood it the first time correctly and there wouldn't have been any type of hard feelings.

It is tragic - and actually for both people involved. Even once the air is cleared of the mistake, and the damage undone, the residual of the pain still hangs around for a while.

You mention couples breaking up - you know I have texted people meaning very nice things, but they have read it and misunderstood my meaning. Then trying to repair the damage after it's done is really hard. Whereas if we weren't texting and either talking on the phone or in person, it wouldn't have happened.

That's true as well, Edna. The comments above were about how it has destroyed relationships. But as toward long distance relationships it has definitely improved them. I have a girlfriend that lives in Wisconsin and I live in California. She is also deaf. We have carried on a lively Instant Message friendship for about 15 years. We can instant message as fast as people can talk as we are both very fluent in typing.

I sure don't mind the short texts, but when I have something that takes time to explain or discuss, although I have an Iphone I cannot text fast enough and it takes FOREVER to carry on the discussion. I find that if we can get the communication between us in a couple of short sentences it's fine. But when a discussion of any length has to take place, I'd much rather talk on the phone or in person.

That's definitely true - There is a whole new element with all the information that is now immediately accessible to us. It is a phenomenal age, this age of electronics!

When you mention that, I envision many times that I have been sitting in a restaurant and will see other patrons at a next table. Even four or five of them at a time!!! And As I see them, EVERY ONE of them is texting or playing a game on their sell phone. Why did they even bother to get together anyway! Yup, that's really something.

You're right about the kids. I wonder if they will change as they mature - only time will tell.

Yes, I agree wholeheartedly. And after reading the other few responses, I have to add this, that is only if one is in the same proximity, i.e. same town or county per se. I become really unhappy and frustrated when my sisters try to carry on long conversations via text when they can easily call me and we can accomplish the same conversation is a lot less time and in a lot more personal manner by speaking to each other. FURTHER, we live in the same town together, what's wrong with getting together for lunch every now and then? Texting is thumbs-down for me when people can talk on the phone without any added expense. WHY?

Yes and it has hurt my business as well. When approaching clients to set an appointment they now use "Send me an e-mail." as a way to get rid of me. It is now their easiest excuse to ignore salesmen.