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Is ignoring text messages rude?

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Text has a more urgent/immediacy feel to them than email so if you ignore a text, it feels like you don't give a shit about the sender. A couple of hours is acceptable to me but others may not see it that way.
 
Lebron said:
Then she really didn't like you then.
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I think she only likes people as much as a sociopath can, to be honest. Or perhaps up until they're useful.

Then again, I guess telling her off was pointless because she can't take responsibility for anything. Oh well.

But yeah, shit is rude. Call me if it's really important, but I'm not going to pretend like your text isn't worth replying to when I get time.
 
No, the beauty of text messages is they are meant to be there for you when you feel like answering or viewing them.
 
ClosingADoor said:
I see it like this:

Phone = respond immediately.
Text = respond within an hour.
Email = respond within a day.
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Mine is completely flipped.

Phone - If you aren't my gf or my parents calling me what the fuck is your problem? You know I'm not answering unless I'm drunk or expecting a call. Seriously unless I love you and your life is at stake I have no desire to hear your voice and be unable to continue whatever I'm doing.

Email - Will probably respond fairly quickly, ignoring it at first because it's not important but responding when I get another email I need to respond to due to work/school.

Text - Might be immediately might be never.
 
I warn every person that ever becomes my friend or that I start dating that I don't often carry my phone on me and hate texting. Most of them don't believe me and go through a circa 2 month "learning period" where they try to force their expectations of cell phone etiquette on me and then get the harsh lesson. I respond to received messages only when I have time and it's not rude to people in the world around me to pull out my phone and cut myself off from them. This often means hours before I'll get back to people. I had a girl get really really mad at me for the entire 2 month period of adjustment. She then learned, just like everyone else did, that I was serious when I said if it's that important call me and talk to me. Interpersonal relationships are a lot smoother for all involved if you just simply cut out text messaging or reduce it down to confirmation of already agreed upon information, like meet up places. You just find yourself up against some crazies if you stick to your guns on it.
 
Meh. Sometimes I don't answer my friends' texts; sometimes they don't answer mine. It's rude but it's a text message. Nobody really cares :)

But if you do bother to respond (a while later), just apologize.
 
I honestly don't even check my phone for days sometimes. I leave my cellphone in my purse in another room. Sometimes friends ask me why I didn't reply sooner and I explain to them that my phone only has service in my bathroom and I'm not going to the bathroom every few minutes just to check my phone. If they need to reach me I have a landline.
 
spindashing said:
You ignore them for a few minutes to give the illusion that you're doing something so you can answer with a "oh, I was busy doing X"

/foreveralone
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Fapping happens to take a few minutes, as does shitting.
You want them to think you are doing either?

You should wait longer!

Also anyone have one of those people who will call, and then immediately text if you don't pick up, and then later ask why you didn't answer their text till then?
Like if I'm not picking up my phone what makes them think I'm interested in answering a fucking text message.
 
LuchaShaq said:
Phone - If you aren't my gf or my parents calling me what the fuck is your problem? You know I'm not answering unless I'm drunk or expecting a call. Seriously unless I love you and your life is at stake I have no desire to hear your voice and be unable to continue whatever I'm doing.
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I've seen this attitude elsewhere and I must ask: when did it become such a nuisance to answer your phone? I prefer spoken communication with the people in my life. Texting is very impersonal and imprecise.
 
I only ignore ones from people I know don't have anything to talk about. Texting me to tell me they're bored and aren't doing anything annoys me. I also hate when someone if being very vague for whatever reason.
 
keeblerdrow said:
I warn every person that ever becomes my friend or that I start dating that I don't often carry my phone on me and hate texting. Most of them don't believe me and go through a circa 2 month "learning period" where they try to force their expectations of cell phone etiquette on me and then get the harsh lesson. I respond to received messages only when I have time and it's not rude to people in the world around me to pull out my phone and cut myself off from them. This often means hours before I'll get back to people. I had a girl get really really mad at me for the entire 2 month period of adjustment. She then learned, just like everyone else did, that I was serious when I said if it's that important call me and talk to me. Interpersonal relationships are a lot smoother for all involved if you just simply cut out text messaging or reduce it down to confirmation of already agreed upon information, like meet up places. You just find yourself up against some crazies if you stick to your guns on it.
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This sounds exactly like me and i have had very similar responses.
 
ClosingADoor said:
I see it like this:

Phone = respond immediately.
Text = respond within an hour.
Email = respond within a day.
Click to expand...

Switch the phone and text and you have my process.

For me phone conversations tend to be longer and require more attention so I don't like responding if I'm focusing on something else, while with a text it only takes a few seconds to say something and then get back to what I was doing.
 
Depends on the content of the text and what you are doing when you receive it. I don't expect someone to write me back immediately because they may be busy, but if it is a text that merits a response, I do think it is rude if it is never replied to.

Also, depending on the situation and the company, I think it is actually rather rude to answer texts when you are enjoying the company of someone else. Anyone feel the same with this one?
 
Definitely depends on the text. Unfortunately, some people will expect you to text them constantly no matter what. That shit is annoying.

I hate situations where the conversation is over, but since they texted last they'll resend it like you didn't get it. You said, "lol"...I saw. How does that demand a response?
 
I'm beginning to realize a lot of people here (on GAF) are very strange/rude/dirty. To answer the TCs question yeah, it's kind of rude. You don't know the nature of the text, you don't know if they were in an area where they couldn't call because of reception, or maybe they were sending you a picture or a ton of possibilities. How hard is it to take 5 seconds to glance at your phone?
 
GatorBait said:
Also, depending on the situation and the company, I think it is actually rather rude to answer texts when you are enjoying the company of someone else. Anyone feel the same with this one?
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Absolutely. There is no better way to tell someone you're not interested in their company by whipping your phone out and texting someone.

If it's not urgent it can wait.

Zoramon089 said:
I'm beginning to realize a lot of people here (on GAF) are very strange/rude/dirty. To answer the TCs question yeah, it's kind of rude. You don't know the nature of the text, you don't know if they were in an area where they couldn't call because of reception, or maybe they were sending you a picture or a ton of possibilities. How hard is it to take 5 seconds to glance at your phone?
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So you don't understand the difference between reading a text and responding to one? More to the point there are plenty of situations where i don't want to pull my phone out at all if it's even on me.

When i am at work i am on call with people constantly getting me to do or look at stuff, i don't need that feeling in my own time.
 
AdventureRacing said:
So you don't understand the difference between reading a text and responding to one? More to the point there are plenty of situations where i don't want to pull my phone out at all if it's even on me.

When i am at work i am on call with people constantly getting me to do or look at stuff, i don't need that feeling in my own time.
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Okay, reading and replying isn't the same as simply glancing, but my point is is that unless you're in a position where you can't reply or it'd be rude to or you KNOW it's something that doesn't need a quick response, why not? I still don't get why you assume people are only texting you to ask you to do something for them
 
Count Dookkake said:
No. You don't even have to answer a phone call if you don't want to.

It is even okay to turn off your phone or leave it at home or in another room.
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This guy knows what's up.

Zoramon089 said:
I'm beginning to realize a lot of people here (on GAF) are very strange/rude/dirty. To answer the TCs question yeah, it's kind of rude. You don't know the nature of the text, you don't know if they were in an area where they couldn't call because of reception, or maybe they were sending you a picture or a ton of possibilities. How hard is it to take 5 seconds to glance at your phone?
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This is a very narcissistic world view. To expect everyone to be at your beck and call just because technology allows it is ridiculous.
 
The easy ignorability of texting is one of its most popular features.

If you want an immediate response then actually fucking call.
 
For the person waiting for the response, this will be impossible to tell, but if you have the time to respond and don't, you're rude. If you don't have the time, you're not. It sucks waiting a couple hours for a text, but it's completely understandable. We're all busy people, sometimes shit's going on or you forget to respond. If you're just ignoring them for no reason, I'd say you're an asshole.
 
Zoramon089 said:
Okay, reading and replying isn't the same as simply glancing, but my point is is that unless you're in a position where you can't reply or it'd be rude to or you KNOW it's something that doesn't need a quick response, why not? I still don't get why you assume people are only texting you to ask you to do something for them
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I didn't mean they were asking me to do something. As mentioned above i just don't like to feel like i'm constantly on call for other people.

Up to this point in my life i have never had someone send me an urgent text either. If they are in a position to text they are almost certainly in a position to call which would be much more appropriate.
 
Zoramon089 said:
I'm beginning to realize a lot of people here (on GAF) are very strange/rude/dirty. To answer the TCs question yeah, it's kind of rude. You don't know the nature of the text, you don't know if they were in an area where they couldn't call because of reception, or maybe they were sending you a picture or a ton of possibilities. How hard is it to take 5 seconds to glance at your phone?
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What if you are having sex and you get a text message?
 
Its rude only if they blatantly ignore it. If someone is genuinely busy and the text isn't super urgent, then whatever. My text answering speed really depends on who I'm talking to.
 
If people were concerned about etiquette they wouldn't be communicating through texts. If you need to know something call me.
 
Lol, you cannot be serious.... I will ignore a text the same way I will ignore a phone call from someone I don't want to, or cant speak with at the moment. Feel free to be offended while I continue with my day I guess....
 
Depends.
Also, who cares? You gotta learn to be ok with ignoring people, otherwise you'll be unhappy.
 
Devolution said:
My reception sucks and texts go into this weird limbo where I don't always get them, and when I do it's like 2-5 hours later. In other words, don't always assume.
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This is exactly my situation. I've had to make sure that the people who text me frequently understand that I'm (probably) not snubbing them when they don't receive an immediate reply to their message.
 
are we talking about ignoring completely or just delayed response? I have a friend who's completely comfortable just ignoring texts completely, i.e. never responding (she does this to everyone). I see that as plain rude, while I can see the justification for simply getting back to someone when you have time.
 
Let me in said:
I've seen this attitude elsewhere and I must ask: when did it become such a nuisance to answer your phone? I prefer spoken communication with the people in my life. Texting is very impersonal and imprecise.
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If I care to have personal interaction with someone it will be in person. Even the parents/gf phone call stuff is emergencies only. Guy from work who can't find unimportant but needed eventually item X? Text me. Guy from my basketball league who needs a ride 4 days from now to the gym? Text me. Friend that wants to have personal interaction and go to dinner/do something out? Text me to make plans I'll talk to you when we are there.


Yes phone calls are a nuisance for me. Between work/school I have little free time and I really value that time as a result. Even if in the RARE occasion I have time to just sit all alone and do relaxing stuff by myself, I'd rather punch myself in the balls than talk on the phone.


Also texts prevent me from having to listen to people ramble on forever about bullshit. In text format I can just scroll past it and see what matters.
 
So ur with ur honey and yur making out wen yur phone gets a tetx. U ignore it n then latr look at it n it sez "wut r u doing wit my daughter?". Since u ignored it u nevr no WHO WAS TEXT?
 
I don't think it's necessarily rude. But I've always considered texting as a quick and dirty way to convey a quick message if I'm not in a position to talk. It's a one off. If it's important, I'll call.
 
ATF487 said:
Depends on the situation, really, but generally if someone wants to communicate with you and you have the time to answer it, then you should answer them.
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This. There's nothing more I hate when people don't respond to my texts. But if there is a reason, and it doesn't have to be big just something like "I'm concentrating on homework.". Its fine.
 
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