Why yes, we are Textually Involved.

I admit it. I am a textually active teen. But then again, aren't we all?
When you are walking down the streets, shopping at the mall or even just chilling at home, you are bound to see fingers flying over a miniature keyboard: texting, of course.
Apparently the record for the is 160 letters in 45 seconds. I say apparently because I gleaned this information from wikipedia, and we all know how incredibly accurate wikipedia is. Everyone may not text as fast as 3.5 letters per minute but I can guarantee that the majority of the American Youth texts, not even mentioning the adults who do as well. But yet, I am reprimanded many times for the amount of texts that I send and how constantly. But maybe my parents do have a point, maybe texting really isn't healthy.

Does texting ruin a relationship or does it help?
Many of the people that I consider my closest friends have gotten close to me only through texting. For example, my best friend Nate. (I know you are probably reading this and I doubt that you care so I'm using you as an example) I can guarantee that there is absolutely no way that we would have nearly as good friends as we are now if it wasn't for the fact that we both had the Verizon Unlimited Texting plan. I mean sure, we were both in Drumline and had like one class together, but if you really look at it, that's about it. To be honest, I don't even remember when I got his number or when I started texting him, but that's not the point. The point is that I did. And we became best buddies through these past three years. When I first met him, I actually thought that he had no friends and I was doing him a favor by making him my project to be my best friend by January of that year. Looking back, I was probably the one who had no friends and needed the favor.. Anyways, imagine the same situation but no texting. I for one could never gotten him to talk to me if I didn't text him constantly. And I wouldn't be able to bother him constantly if I had to rely on just seeing him every once in a while at school. But unlike a lot of textual relationships that are super close on the phone but then incredibly awkward off, I think it turned out rather nicely.
But Mitch on the other hand...
When you are on opposite sides of a phone, with no voice to betray you or no awkward silences to fill, you are suddenly a whole different person. You're braver, bolder, sassier than you have ever been. You have the time to be witty and make sure things make sense.
I abhor talking on the phone. If I wanted to talk to someone, in preference order, I would want to either see them in person or text. I'm big about body language and signals, that kinda stuff is obsolete when talking on the phone. When talking in person, physical affection is permissible which makes awkward silences well, less awkward.
But when you are texting, there is always the presence of that person with you. You're always connected. And that is another ambiguous situation. Do you really want your best friend's bf constantly connected to you? You can always pretend you didn't get the text, but then you risk being rude.
The major problem with texting is probably its best attribute, you're not WITH the person.
How do you possibly know what their tone is, what is there voice inflection, does the exclamation points mean they're excited or furious (there are those who also don't use any punctuation which is 10 times more aggravating *cough cough*)? The whole thing is a quandary. Sarcasm is completely lost, as are tears. Is constant conversation worth the loss of emotion?
With conversation devoid of emotion what does love mean? What does hate mean? What does I want you mean? "I Love You" is thrown around like an old sock. Does it even have a meaning?
I guess all I can say is that relationships are built and and ended through texting and sometimes they are real, but sometimes it seems like they just fade into your memory like a figment of your imagination.
Yes, I am textually active and probably will always be, along with the rest of my generation. I just hope that we don't all lose a bit of our humanity transposing warm feelings into digital messages.
After all, I love you all, but can you tell?