Text Messaging Mania

I read somewhere the other day that text messaging has become the primary way that young people communicate with each other. I think a close second is Facebook. Some teenagers and college students send HUNDREDS of text messages a day. I know. I've got teenage daughters. And I teach at a community college. Between classes I see the majority of students either checking their cell phones for text messages or sending text messages. What could all these messages be about? Why would they rather send text messages to each other than talk to the other person on the cell phone, or just have a face-to-face conversation?

Last night I was watching television with my 17-year old daughter, Maria, and we saw an advertisement for a new cell phone that you can talk into and it converts your recorded message into a text message. I turned to Maria and asked her if she would want one of those phones. She said no, that they would just be for people who were too lazy to type a text message. Beside, she said, if you recorded a message, why wouldn't you want the other person to hear that instead of reading it as a text message? Maybe there is still hope.

Can you imagine how we managed to live a mere 10 years ago before everyone had a cell phone? Don't get me wrong. I think technology is a good thing and has improved our lives in many ways. Usually. But sometimes I wonder if we are using the technology or the technology is using us. What do you think?