There are some genuine advantages of leaving a message over a real conversation/phone call:
- Apologize to your angry wife
- Communicate with a deaf/mute or with a speech impairment (that includes spouses, girlfriend and anybody with a high pitched shrill voice)
- Silently communicate from meeting hall /movie theater/rock concert/lecture hall.
- Safely drop a note to a blabbermouth without giving them license to talk back
- You are a nervous wreck and you intend to pour your heart out without being judged/mocked
- Not being accused of disturbing somebody in the middle of night or act of copulation
- You are cheap and your carrier provides you with a zillion free sms/whatsapp
In real life you don’t get 15 minutes to think of a clever comeback line. You might impress someone temporarily through proofreading your message before sending. But messages are not literature and cannot hide the fact that you cannot hold an actual conversation without blabbering like an idiot. Forwarding jokes & links might be amusing but does not improve your social standing (unless you aspire to be the joker)
Messages allow us to skip the small talk, exchange pleasantries or even smile and say hi. This is good if you were a robot, but unfortunately most of us are not. This whirlpool of convenience might allow you to talk to multiple persons and indulge in plethora of pursuits at the same time but is it doing anybody any justice. On an average it takes thrice as much time to get your point across and yet is neither as emotionally gratifying nor as effective as meeting someone in person. If you respect that person, then they deserve your undivided attention. Spend time understanding the other person and show empathy.