A recent study found that a quarter of young people aged between 18 and 34 don’t answer the phone. They simply ignore the ringtone and respond through messages or look up the caller’s number in online databases if they don’t recognize it. Why don’t they want to talk on the phone?
For older individuals, talking on the phone is something normal. However, teenagers and young people prefer written messages – a survey conducted on 2,000 individuals showed that almost 70% of people aged 18 to 34 choose to write a message instead of making a phone call, as reported by BBC.
Until the beginning of the last decade, when phone calls cost a small fortune monthly, it was normal for people to avoid long phone conversations and keep everything they had to say short, usually within a minute. However, the emergence of smartphones that allow quick typing and the development of social networks and online messaging platforms have radically changed how people use the phone to communicate. Gradually, young people started using calls only for emergencies and to talk to their parents or grandparents.
When the Phone Causes Terror
Dr. Elena Touroni, a psychological consultant, says this phenomenon occurred because today's young people haven't developed the habit of talking on the phone anymore. For them, this is "weird," and they tend to expect the worst when their mobile phone starts ringing or when its lights turn on - most people under 35 stop the ringer.
Over half of the young people who participated in the mentioned survey admitted that they believe an unexpected phone call means bad news.
The anxiety caused by the phone's ringtone comes from the association with something bad - a premonition or fear, explains psychotherapist Eloise Skinner.
"As our lives become busier and work schedules more unpredictable, we have less time to call a friend just to chat. Therefore, phone calls have become reserved only for the most important news in our lives, which can sometimes be complicated and difficult," she said.
For this reason, 26-year-old Jack Longley never answers calls from unknown numbers. "Either they are scammers, or they are selling something. It's easier to ignore calls than to check to see which ones are legitimate," he says.
But not answering the phone doesn't mean that young people don't stay in touch with loved ones - messaging services like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger "buzz" throughout the day, delivering all kinds of mundane messages, jokes, and now, voice messages. Many of these conversations take place on social networks, especially on Instagram and Snapchat, where images are sent along with texts.
However, although almost all young people avoid phone calls, using voice messages elicits mixed reactions. In the survey cited by the BBC, 37% of those aged 18-34 said that voice messages are their preferred method of communication. In contrast, only 1% of subjects aged 35 to 54 prefer voice messages over a call.
"A voice message is like talking on the phone, but better. You have the advantage of hearing your friends' voices, but without any pressure, so it's a more polite way to communicate," explains 19-year-old student Susie Jones.
For others, however, a five-minute voice message in which someone, even very close, "rants" about everything on their mind without feeling a time limit can be a tough experience when, in fact, the whole story could be summed up in a few text messages.
However, both types of communication, voice message or text message, allow young people to converse as they please and respond in a way they deem appropriate.
The Anti-Phone Movement at Work
Henry Nelson-Case, a 31-year-old lawyer, is also a content creator. He has authored several videos about the challenges faced by "overwhelmed millennials" - such as one about the anxiety of sending an email to the entire company, the refusal to work overtime, and one about an employee doing everything possible to avoid a phone call.
He says that "the anxiety associated with real-time discussions, potential awkwardness, lack of responses, and the pressure to reply immediately" makes him hate talking on the phone.
"Phone calls are the riskiest and involve a higher degree of intimacy, while messages allow you to be more detached and connect without feeling vulnerable or exposed," explains Dr. Touroni.
Dunja Relic, a 27-year-old lawyer, says she avoids phone calls at work because "they eat up your time and distract you from your tasks."
"There is a growing sense of protecting our time, and calling someone requires them to stop and dedicate their attention to the conversation - a difficult thing for those with a lot to do at the same time," Skinner explains.
James Holton, a 64-year-old employer, says that young employees rarely answer the phone and have prepared a message announcing that they are busy or redirect their calls so they can never be reached. "They always have an excuse ready, the most common being 'the phone is off, so I didn't see it and forgot to call you later,'" he says.
Holton had to adapt after noticing "a visible communication gap." "If employees feel more comfortable with texts, then it's my responsibility to respect that choice," he says.
Verbal Communication is Irreplaceable, but Young People Adapt
However, by preferring non-verbal communication and with a tendency to work from home, are we not losing the ability to have unplanned and informal conversations? There is a risk, say specialists.
If this trend continues, then "we could lose our sense of closeness or connection," Skinner points out. "This connection can lead to a greater sense of fulfillment, especially in the workplace."
Ciara Brodie (25 years old), a supermarket manager, goes against the current and says she likes it when her superiors call her: "It's better than a text because it requires a certain level of effort, so you really know that the manager appreciates your contribution." She especially enjoys talking to colleagues on the phone on days when she works from home because "she can be alone, so it's nice to stay connected."
Some may consider this type of communication as evidence that this generation is superficial. However, young people say it's a sign of adaptation - 25 years ago, people were hesitant to transition from fax to email, but the change made communication much more efficient.
T.D.