Assignment 2-1

There are many different people who claim to have sent the first text message. It was said to have began in 1989 by NASA. No matter when or who began sending text messages I do not believe anyone could have predicted the popularity of it today. In the beginning it was primarily designed for the deaf and hard of hearing people. There are now a variety of ways and reasons people use text messaging. In the beginning it was used primarily for business purposes. The messages can be sent in a variety of different ways. They can be used to see if someone is online and if that person is online you can communicate with them from your phone. You can also communicate from phone to phone. However a person decides to communicate it is evident that this new reach-ability factor is not likely to disappear anytime soon. For whatever reason people need to feel that they are able to reach someone right now and have live conversations with them right now.

Today people use text messaging for a variety of reasons. They can text in to vote on a favorite reality show contestant, they can receive all different forms of news including; weather, traffic updates, sports statistics, and stock information. Your bank can text you messages about account balances or usage information. All of these things relate to the increasing attitude of people to always be on the go, always a faster, easier, more accessible way to get information. Not only is it used for practical purposes but, I see people texting everywhere I go and it seems to be particularly popular among the teenagers I see when I am out. I see more teenagers’ texting than talking. I myself never thought I would get wrapped up in the text messaging craze. However, once I used it to get a message to my fiancé who was in school. It started like that anyway. Soon it was a couple messages a day to pass along information. We soon realized how convenient it was in our busy lives to simply send a quick text while in the middle of working or going to school or chauffeuring the children to various places. We have now added the unlimited texting package to our phones. I never thought I would be one of those people frantically trying to send off a quick message while sitting in traffic or while working, but here I am. I find myself becoming more and more addicted to it. I can’t wait to receive my next message from my fiancé while he is on lunch break and I love to send little messages to my children just to tell them hi. Who would have thought a middle aged soccer mom would get caught in the text messaging web. I have yet to find out what is so addicting about it, but it is very convenient for my very busy life and I think that is why it has become such an important pop culture topic. It represents the need to stay connected and the need for faster up to date information in today’s increasingly busy on-the-go lifestyle.