We usually don’t think too much about how we interact with our tech, often because we’re too busy trying to interact with our tech.
I get it. Look, I can open links in Facebook Messenger whether I’m on my phone or on my desktop, but generally speaking, I will switch over to my desktop to do so every time because I want to see it on a bigger screen. But it’s not something I really think about in the moment.
I also never really considered how I text other people — until now, thanks to an eye-opening thread on Twitter.
In texts as in so many other things, there are two types of people.
But it had never occurred to me that there are two types of texters in the world. Yet, as @SunshineCVE shared on Twitter, there’s a clear way to differentiate: those who write one long message block-style, and those who break it all up into distinct, separate thoughts.
The obvious difference would be for folks receiving texts: all those rapid-fire little messages are going to make the recipient’s phone dance and shout like it’s Saturday night. And, as @SunshineCVE shared, that’s a realization that prompted an apology.
They weren’t alone in that feeling, either.
And it brought out a bit of airs in some people who identified themselves as A types.
“I mean, A all the way! Who wants to hear the phone ping 4 times in quick succession? Can’t you structure a paragraph? But, I’m of the generation that thought email was fast,” wrote one person.
“It’s like person B doesn’t understand how paragraphs work and that all those back to back messages isn’t it,” wrote another.
A few of the B types shared that they’d faced some real-life consequences for blowing up people’s phones with their texts.
“I’m a hard ‘B’, to the extent that an ex broke up with me because she said I was ‘too needy’ for typing like that,” one person shared .
“There is a “B” at work and they do this in teams…they were spoken to by the boss!” shared another.
But there were some B types who had some good reasons for breaking up their messages.
“A is for family and friends; B is for people you trying to be intimate with. Especially [guys] talking to ladies. Been my experience you can’t just hit up a female and say let’s do something. They want dialogue (to an extent) and to be able to play elusive,” one person wrote .
Some also suggested that the shorter messages were just more practical, and that you were less likely to be second-guessed.
“Id like to be A but its hard to read and ppl freak out when i slowly type for ages. At least w b ppl aren’t assuming im pissed at them,” wrote one person.
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Some of the B types pointed out that what happens at the other end of a conversation isn’t exactly up to them.
“I’m B and I don’t have text message alerts on, I just uhh… assume others [don’t] either,” wrote one person.
“I’m def B,” wrote another person, but “I also have all my fellow B-ers muted, so l get it.”
But the A folks had some good arguments for why they are the way they are as well.
And it wasn’t always a matter of being considerate.
“Type A but only because I overthink, so that takes about 10 minutes + Breaks + Pacing around the house while thinking of the right words to use, and since I’m bilingual, figuring out when to use Filipino or English terms,” one person shared .
What do you think? Is there a right or wrong way to carry on a text convo?
Are you the one writing out larger chunks of text for your friends, or do you break it all up into smaller, easily digestible bits? Do you hate receiving those little bursts more, or the long paragraphs?
Personally, I’m more of an A. What’s your style? Let us know in the comments!