“Audio without image crosses a wire in my brain.”
via Utilizing My Aversion to Phones • Another Passion.
This is wonderful. And here I was thinking it was just me and my aunt. I have an aunt who doesn’t like using the phone either. It’s one of the many, many things I admire about her.
I suspect my husband thinks I’m just being silly – he keeps alternating between trying to force me to talk on the phone (as if some kind of phobia treatment will fix my ‘condition’), and talking over me like I have some kind of disability.
It’s neither – I’m not actually afraid of the phone, and some days I end up talking on the phone with 15 or more different people. I have no problem talking on the phone to people who are looking for information, and I have no problem phoning to ask for information on something, but if there are any feelings involved or there might be nuances in the conversation that require interpretation, I hate using the phone. Really HATE it.
To me, the phone is quite simply inadequate for that kind of communication – in many ways it’s worse than email because there is no ability to review what you are about to say. I almost ALWAYS re-read my emails several times before sending them – and I almost always end up editing something. Communication is important to me, and the phone just isn’t up to the task.
There’s also the interruption factor: “Hey, let’s CHAT.” Never mind the fact that I might have been deeply engrossed in some work that will require at least 10-15 minutes after the call is over before I’m back up to speed again. Asking if I “have a minute” is a waste of time – I’ve ALREADY been interrupted. It’s already going to take me considerable time and effort to back into what I was doing, so I might as well finish the phone thing so I don’t have to get interrupted another time for the same thing. Don’t expect me to be all chatty though.
For me, there simply is not enough information in a voice if I can’t also see the face. It’s like not being able to see every fifth word.
Radio drama isn’t the same thing at all (it’s one way) so don’t even go there. I like radio drama as well as audio books. Different thing entirely.
