Instant Messaging is Producing a Generation of Cowards

This CNN article had some very disturbing statistics gathered from an Associated Press/AOL poll.

• 43% claimed using IM to say things they wouldn’t say in person
• 22% claimed using IM to arrange dates
• 13% claimed using IM to break off a relationship
• 45+%, ages 13 to 18, claimed they use IM, compared to 1 in 5 polled adults.
• 1 in 10 teens admitted to spending more than 3 hours a day “IMing”
• 17% claimed sending more than 100 IMs a day
• 6 out of 10 teens admitted IM while researching or doing homework
• AOL says less than 20% use enhanced IM features (voice, file transfer, etc)
• Over 50% of teens claim they receive unsolicited IMs from strangers
• 33% claimed sending IMs to people they don’t know

What the hell’s happening? These kids don’t have the guts to speak face to face so they resort to instant messaging? Don’t get me wrong, I hate talking on the phone, and I use text sending capabilities just like anyone else, but sometimes the message requires looking someone in the face. Then again, I don’t have a “friends list,” probably because I don’t have any friends, but trust me, that’s by choice.

Now that I think about it, when I first experienced the pleasure of owning a cell phone, my thoughts about the whole thing changed almost immediately. People calling, non stop, wanting to talk about nothing. Here’s a run down of the typical conversation.

**annoying cell phone ring** Me: hello? Caller: hey, what’s up? Me: Uuhh.. you called me. Caller: What? Me: You called me, why are you asking me what’s up? Say what you gotta say… Caller: Damn man, I was just calling to talk. Me: About… ? Caller: Nothing, just to see what’s up!

See… NOTHING. Now I’m a dick, but I don’t care, and hopefully that person got the point. Three cell phone numbers later, I still receive those calls, so yes, I did purchase the unlimited texting package. There’s more effort involved in composing a text message, forcing the author to get out the vital parts, skip all the “hey, how’s it going crap” and say what needs saying.

Anyway, the first statistic says forty-three percent of kids use IM to say things they wouldn’t say in person. How cowardly. These kids don’t have ADD, ADHD, and all this other crap, they’re just lacking dignity, courage, and self respect. A generation of myspacers and facebookers are next in line to run this crazy place, and boy is it going to make for an entertaining ride. Can you imagine getting the pink slip through an IM session? HAHAHA, oh wow. This is definitely going to be fun.