Cal's Blog: 
Everyone does it.
From the bored guy at the bustop, to the Pagani ™ salesgirl on a slow day …
We live in a world surrounded by it. Over the last 10 years, it has slowly invaded our society. Multinational corporations seek to impose their products on us, and we are constantly bombarded by the nonverbal assumption, that indeed bigger is better.
Does your cell have T9? What about Java? PXT? Are you 3G capable? Can you "wave-write"? Do you have a foldout keyboard? Bluetooth? MP3 player?
Without these necessities, you are "not getting enough".
Obviously, txt sells.
Today, I want to help you to find clarity amongst a crazy, txt-ridden society.
Abstinence.
In my own life, the best way to find txtual clarity, is often to take a complete break. Sometimes, I leave town (flee txtual temptation …) leaving my cell off for the whole weekend.
It is generally in these times that I rediscover the many beautiful things in life.
Things such as:
- the beauty of a natural silence,
- the wonder of nature, and;
- being able to watch a movie or eat my meal without interuption.
Generally, I would heartily encourage all to know when enough is really enough. Just because you have a txtual quota-based reputation to keep up, you should not let this get in the way of your health.
Promiscuous txt can indeed forge many relationships with those who you would simply not have time for in the real world. It is not that these people are not important – quite the opposite. The point is, simply, that we must be able to fill our lives with meaning, and the txtual antics of many simply disguises their hidden loneliness and disullusion.
Take a break. Feel lonely. Maybe write a poem or a song about it. Feel's pretty real, doesn't it?
Anyway. I realise that most of the preceding discussion will be lost on many. So, if you cannot refrain from txt, at least take the necessary precautions:
Safe txt
Whilst partaking of txt, it is important to never get so carried away that you forget who you really are.
There are a few questions worth thinking about:
Firstly, who are you, in your txtual fantasy world?
I have known many who are timid, confident, yet unassuming; however, once they start their txt, they become raging bulls.
Sometimes, you really need to stop to think what kind of message you are sending. We often hide behind the attitude of: "it's only casual txt – it doesn't mean anything". In reality, every word in your txt has likely been painstakingly lingered over – when you only have 165 letters, you must be concise; saying only exactly what you mean.
This differentiates the txtual fantasy world, from the real world. In the real world, communication consists of not only what is said, but also many nonverbal cue's; for ie, the way it is said, the speed, the slouch, the direction of the eyes …
The txtual fantasy world contains none of these vital peices of communication. It may be asked, what then, of the letter? (the snail mail kind) To which the response must be, the traditional letter is generally much longer; non verbal communication can, to a degree, be substituted for increased wordiness.
Individuals must be careful to avoid giving mixed signals through the use of their txtual msgs versus their verbal communication.
Secondly, do you avoid meaningful verbal conversations, prefering to instead participate in meaningless and mechanical communication?
A common problem associated with txt-addicts is the tendency to retreat from social settings, substituting their physical context for a virtual community. This alleviates loneliness, yet at the expence of the development of meaningful relationships with those around us.
Txt can be good. However, we should never let our need for txt force us to abandon those around us. Txtual partners can come and go; but true friends will remain with us for much longer.
Which brings us to the next point:
Sometimes, there's no substitute for aural pleasure
In the modern, txt-driven society, it is easy to forsake meaningful human connections in favour of a brief txt quickie. It is easy to go for weeks without catching up with a friend; frequent txtual intercourse takes place, yet an actual meeting may never take place.
It must be remembered, that our txt drive is primarily about the need for communication with others. To feel that we have reached out to another, and have in turn had a connection; a reasurance that our lives are witnessed by others.
In many cases, it may be much more healthy for an individual to actually have a verbal conversation with another. A face to face meeting may precipitate a much higher degree of connection than can ever be fostered via txt.
Txt has its place within a caring relationship that exists; however, it should never be used as a complete substitute.
We must always remember the value of verbal communication.
Conclusion:
In the world of txt, there are often no easy answers. As our society (including current txtual politics) continues to evolve, we must be able to take advantage of the latest technologies, without sacrificing our inherent humanity.
A healthy txtlife is a good thing. However, never let this cloud your vision; we do have real friends around us, whose need for connection is as great as our own.
Take time this week to engage with your friends – don't abandon them, in your search for txtual fulfillment.
