Have you ever texted (SMS from your cellphone) the person you’re moaning about, rather than to the person you intended? If you have, then you’ll know what an embarrassing, toe-curling nightmare it is.
I have done this several times in the past. I nearly did it today… I wanted to send my buddy a text message to tell him why I was annoyed by someone, but almost sent the text to that ‘someone’ instead.
Why does it happen?
I know why. I’ve done this in a highly emotional state. It’s almost always because I am pissed off with someone, and their name is emblazoned in my mind through the red mist. So when I begin to write the text, I’ve accidentally selected their name from my cellphone’s address book.
In some circumstances, this could be a career-limiting move. What if I am upset with my boss, and then text my boss to that tune?
It can cause untold embarrassment.
Talk about embarrassment: check this quick story out where a teenager accidentally texted her dad about her ‘first time’…
If this hasn’t happened to you yet, heed my words. Make sure, for pete’s sake, you don’t text your message to the wrong recipient! Before you hit that send button, make a quick sanity check.
It’s a cautionary step you won’t regret.
Texting is very popular in Europe and the East, and is growing in popularity in North America. Infrequent users of SMS/texting are at the highest risk of making these kinds of mistakes. Here is a great book that tells you all you need to know about the language, culture and style of texting – Txtng: The Gr8 Db8
