In the dating world, things aren’t the same as they used to be decades ago. Back in the day, the main way that people talked to one another when they weren’t in the same place was over the phone. Oh, and we’re not talking about a cellphone, let alone a smartphone. We mean that clunky landline that your mom could listen to in the other room while you were talking to your significant other. Nowadays, things are different. People text a lot more than call—but why is that?
Early in the Relationship
We should clarify that we’re mainly referring to the early stages of a relationship. As couples begin to get closer with one another, they call each other more—and this helps us segue into our next point, which is that it all comes down to trust.
People are Nervous to Talk in ‘Real-Time’
Anxiety levels are higher than they’ve ever been. We can technically “connect” to people better than ever through technology, but people are having trouble connecting emotionally. Actually talking to someone in real-time, whether it’s on a date or on the phone, makes you much more vulnerable than if you were texting them. When you text, you can screen your messages through a wide veneer of time, convenience, and interest. But on the phone, you need to have something to say right off the bat.
No Risk, No Reward
The problem is, if you don’t risk putting yourself out there in real-time, you won’t ever reap the benefits that may come from it as well. You won’t cultivate the trust that only comes from allowing yourself to potentially look stupid in a live conversation.
This is why texting has taken over talking on the phone. But maybe, just maybe, if people push themselves to do the latter more often—while they may strike out more—they may actually hit a few more home runs.