I wanna be heard...NOW - phone etiquette

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Zeno Marx

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Am I nuts in remembering that back in the rotary and touch-tone days that when someone called and didn't get an answer, they didn't keep calling and calling and calling? I feel like people DEMAND to be heard, and RIGHT NOW, these days. If you don't answer, they call your partner's phone or rifle off a text or shoot off a flare or something. Zero patience. There's little trying back later or being satisfied with leaving a message. If people had to get up off their butt to use the wall phone every time they called, would this not be the case? Is it too convenient to have the phone in your pocket, so "I'll give them a minute and call again...and again...and again."?

What makes it worse is that they think YOU'RE the rude one...for not answering one of their ten rapid-fire communiques.
 
Actually I think the real problem started with the advent of texting. Different tactics work for different folks in dealing with this. I haven't had this problem now that everybody (mostly my wife and son) has been properly "trained." I turn the ringer/vibrator way down, and deal with it when I can. If they whine "I called (or texted) you six times" - I claim I was listening to music or mowing the lawn, or in the shower, and didn't hear them (often true). For me, personal confrontation about it, like I didn't want to be frickin' bothered, wouldn't bode well for long term relationships!  As I said, each has to develop their own techniques. But nowadays nobody bats an eye if I don't respond right away. 8)
 
The texting drives me crazy as well. At work we have group chats for texting, my phone rings throughout most of the day. I don’t usually answer all of them, i feel if its important enough they'll call
 
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