In spite of what many say, Instant Messaging (IM) is not harmful to relationships.
Sentimental people lament that communications have become less personal, so they frown upon things like IM.
In reality, Instant Messaging helps relationships, whether it involves families, businesses, or friends.
IM facilitates the interaction of human beings with each other because it is flexible.
If you are like most people, you've tried to call a person on the telephone and it's just not a good time for that person to talk.
Maybe they are talking with someone in their office or they are listening to loud music.
IM lets you know if someone is available right away because you see their status.
This takes the guesswork out of calling.
Who wants to interrupt someone with a phone call if it's a bad time anyway? If someone has set their status to "busy," you don't have to worry about talking to them.
If you have something urgent to talk about, maybe then you can phone.
Another way IM is flexible is the way you can carry on several conversations at once.
You can't do that on the phone! If you're good at typing and able to run multiple threads in your mind, you can easily IM several people at once.
A good thing about IM is that you can scroll back if you don't remember something that was said.
Try that on a phone call.
In yet another way IM helps relationships, you can be talking or doing something else while IMing and the other person doesn't even know.
Social skills are one area where IM can hurt.
People can slowly lose their ability to communicate in person if they never practice it.
Still, if you recognize IM as a valid way to communicate, you will find that it will do more to help your relationships at every level than it will do to hurt them.
Sentimental people lament that communications have become less personal, so they frown upon things like IM.
In reality, Instant Messaging helps relationships, whether it involves families, businesses, or friends.
IM facilitates the interaction of human beings with each other because it is flexible.
If you are like most people, you've tried to call a person on the telephone and it's just not a good time for that person to talk.
Maybe they are talking with someone in their office or they are listening to loud music.
IM lets you know if someone is available right away because you see their status.
This takes the guesswork out of calling.
Who wants to interrupt someone with a phone call if it's a bad time anyway? If someone has set their status to "busy," you don't have to worry about talking to them.
If you have something urgent to talk about, maybe then you can phone.
Another way IM is flexible is the way you can carry on several conversations at once.
You can't do that on the phone! If you're good at typing and able to run multiple threads in your mind, you can easily IM several people at once.
A good thing about IM is that you can scroll back if you don't remember something that was said.
Try that on a phone call.
In yet another way IM helps relationships, you can be talking or doing something else while IMing and the other person doesn't even know.
Social skills are one area where IM can hurt.
People can slowly lose their ability to communicate in person if they never practice it.
Still, if you recognize IM as a valid way to communicate, you will find that it will do more to help your relationships at every level than it will do to hurt them.