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Comment by amirmc | Hacker News Reader

Side note:

> "When my so-called phone rings, my first reaction is "Shit. What's wrong now?" ..."

This is so true. Partly because we've trained our contacts this way. I only ring people when it's 'important' (read: shit+fan) and tend to expect the same in return.

It's odd since a 30 second phone call can usually replace 10 minutes of back and forth over email (albeit without the paper-trail).

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I saw somebody not too long ago say something like "I wonder if 30 years from now, ringing someone on the phone will be considered as rude as we now consider showing up on their doorstep unannounced to be".

I think telemarketers are helping with this, especially when you start getting automated calls on your cell. When I know there's the automated calling going on, I won't answer a call unless the person is in my contacts (I don't want caller ID on my cell as it makes filtering much easier)

Have you put yourself on the ftc's do not call registry? Its pretty easy and I've found it effective: http://donotcall.gov/

It is. It is and it always has been. Because since we've all had phones, we've been under a social contract with them. When the phone rings, you have about 30 seconds to choose between being ripped out of your current focus (work, reading, eating, in-person conversation, etc.) or to not answer at all (which can come off as rude).

Sure, caller-ID and voicemail have mitigated these problems somewhat, but at the very least your concentration is broken when the telephone rings. Email and other textual messaging are much less invasive and you respond when you choose.

Having said that, I do find some rare cases where a phone conversation is better than a textual one (complex but short instructions, for example).

Not quite. If I'm, for example, naked in front of my computer, a phone call is not as big a problem as someone at my door.

Especially if there are windows next to my door and the only path to my clothes goes in front of the door. (Just speaking hypothetically here.)

I have the same negative reaction to going to the mail box these days. With the exception of the odd expected delivery from amazon, nothing good comes from checking the mail.

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