Idon't think a person who breaks up by text is repressed, just cowardly. It's a way to avoid the discomfort of hurting someone in person or having to deal with the emotional fall out in person. Technology has supplied us with all sorts of ways to avoid uncomfortable social interactions and to be lazy. Thus no more written thank you cards...and an introvert such as myself can e-mail when trying to arrange things for work or volunteer activities and not have to go through the turmoil of calling near strangers on the phone.

I love text messaging. I just sent a text message to many of my friends (regarding an annoucement for our org), but I believe that there are some conversations or things that really should be carried out in person. Personally, I only use text messages for emergencies, long-distance communication, or for group messaging. I value more being able to talk to people in person.

I got upset at a male friend of mine who had the *nerve* to court a schoolfriend of mine and ask her to be his girlfriend...all through text! And worse, she accepted. That got a lot of us girls thinking, "Is there something wrong here or not?" Why couldn't they say it in person?

I think breaking up (or even hooking up) with someone via text is one of the worst signs of complete disregard for the other's feelings. It's as if you did not care enough to even be physically present at the moment.

You might have a point if some people actually used these methods of communication to begin with. My experience has been (regarding dating prospects) if someone doesn't have any feelings for me they simply ignore me and expect me to get the hint. With all the technology we have would it kill women to text a simple message saying, "sorry, just not interested"?

It seems the more options we have to communicate with someone, the less we communicate overall. The future has gotten cold and ugly. =P

"My experience has been (regarding dating prospects) if someone doesn't have any feelings for me they simply ignore me and expect me to get the hint."

I've noticed this as well. When did passive-aggressive ever become a legitimate social behavior? I find such behavior repellant and cowardly and it's pretty much the fastest way to piss me off.

My friend's and my own experience is that women will even do this in a sexual relationship -- when she doesn't want to continue it she just ignores you until you go away.

Modern women sure do know the best ways to spread misogyny! *thumbs up*

Women ignore men because often if you reject them verbally they will get into an argument with you and it can be very unpleasant and stalker-ish. If you are getting the brush off, ask yourself whether you are belligerent and if you accept a "no," graciously. If you don't, that may be the reason you're getting ignored.

Interesting. As a Generation Xer, the present generation (Gosh time does fly)seems to have developed an inability to communicate effectively, by any means. Technology makes it easy to hide and email speak makes it easy to respond with one word answers. Technology, the present spat, was designed with making business communication more efficient, but why have we allowed it to muddle so much personal communication? We've allowed it to coddle us under the pretense of some fashionable freedom that never was. Great blog! Great movement. I'm tired of "Girls Gone Wild." What about "Girls gone Smart?"

If I was to judge the action of dumping someone via text message I would assume the relationship to be a very superficial one ( at least on one side - if works like that?). There is a trend for the younger generation or the "time-poor" to conduct much of their personal relationships via text or IM so for them it would make sense to end them this way as well. So the warning/motto (depending on your viewpoint) could be "live by the text? -- die by the text".

That "altered" version of the Telus billboard was great!

Some ad campaigns are so dumb they DEMAND to be filked.

*sigh*

I'm really not too impressed with society as a whole, right now. Sometimes, the "less is more" approach is better; in this case, with communications technology.

But why are we starting and ending relationships so facelessly? Because we can. Society is killing its ability to feel shame in general, unless it's the kind of manipulative shame that media and industry use that we're so complacent about.

Become sentient. Demand change. Accept the responsiblity to teach values. Value values. Tell the economy to f*** itself. The economy is ever mutable, and will accomodate US as OUR desires change. For society to function, so must the economy. The symbiotic relationship between business and media will be reshaped by people's emerging understandings of newly instilled values.

So we allow younger adults to understand what a relationship is, and that when they are young most of their "relationships" are deluded at best. The "real" relationships will occur, and better communication between sexes will result. Young men and women will learn to hold themselves accountable for their actions, since they've relearned what proper shame is. You can not have nobility without shame, as you need to learn from your shame to strive towards nobility. Nobility is sought after values are taught.

Unconscious complacency is your villain here. Accept the possibility that you can be more conscious, and do not make excuses for yourself not to try and change things (for the better).

* * *

Yes, I know that was rather abstract, but particular issues don't matter so much as the human nature they resulted from. It's more effective to deal with things at the root.

"Women ignore men because often if you reject them verbally they will get into an argument with you and it can be very unpleasant"

Working through uncomfortable situations is what adults do.

"If you are getting the brush off, ask yourself whether you are belligerent and if you accept a "no," graciously. If you don't, that may be the reason you're getting ignored."

Well then I suggest you stop dating men that hit you. Most men don't get violent when dumped. If all you are talking about is a verbal argument, then again I'd have to say that this is one of the things adults learn how to deal with.

So you treat men like trash and then expect us to love you? Get real.