Do people just not ring each other any more, is this normal?

In person = human connection with all the body language, eye contact, etc.

Writing - time to be considered in your responses.

The phone has neither of those things and suffers for it imo.

I heard on the news last year or so that younger generations never call each other, esp out the blue. Considered really rude, will not answer and many don't have the mental health to answer a phone like that either.
And that trainee journalists, the thought of cold calling someone or knocking on their door to chase a story was a real sticking point. Journalism college were offering confidence classes to overcome this.

We're losing the art of speaking!

Nope, none of those things.

I think the complete opposite. It’s so much easier to message someone and they can reply when they’re ready.

Make plans by message, talk in person is by far the most efficient way imo but it’s horses for courses

In work mode, it is far better to dial someone who will be able to solve the problem you are calling about direct. They will answer, you state your issue and they say do this/that/kick here/ or we can be down in x time. Talking is the quickest start to a workable solution. Business wastes hundreds of hours as everyone composes email messages.

It's really sad but I'm just being honest. Like I said, I don't know how she doesn't feel the same as me - that the conversations are just really awkward now as our friendship has sadly dwindled since she moved away...we just haven't enough to talk about. Messages flow far more easily and I can find things to add which means no awkward silences.

Love a phone chat. I chat when I’m driving, through Apple car play not using phone, when I’m walking the dog, when I’m pottering. I can’t imagine not talking to my friends. Speak on the phone daily to my sister, at least twice a week to my close friends and as and when to anyone else. My kids phone me too. They WhatsApp but if they want a chat they call and I speak to DD most days on the phone

I am 45 and the thought of having to chat with someone on the phone makes my blood run cold. No thanks. Much prefer a text or written message that I can read and answer as and when I want to. I had one friend who kept sending me voice notes and I hate those too. I would just text a reply. Eventually she realised I hate voice messages and stopped doing it.

That's very well put. 😊

actually thinking about it, its a reversion to the early days of telephones when they were only for the wealthy and the butler would see if the person was available to take a call or would write the message down and deliver it to the recipient on a silver tray......

100% agree with this. If there’s something urgent you need sorted, call. Messaging is such a pita when there’s an answer needed.

I can’t multitask. If I’m talking on the phone I have to stop what I’m doing, or else stop talking. It feels frustrating just sitting there. I’d rather meet up and chat in person.

if I’m arranging something it’s much more efficient to message - people have time to think about their response.

i do talk to family members on the phone though. And I have friends who like talking on the phone, balancing it somewhere as they got on with other things.

If you are 50 messaging has been around for more than half your life.

I can't stand phone calls as they feel intrusive now. Messages can be answered at the convenience of the recipient unlike a call which is at the convenience of the caller often without consideration of the recipient.

In fact, I rarely answer my phone at the time of a call.

I’m early 40s, the only people who phone me are my mum and dad! I used to have long chats with my sister on the phone every couple of weeks but we stopped doing that about 7 or 8 years ago. I’ve never thought about whether I miss it but I guess I do a bit, with my sister anyway. It’s just become so normal to communicate with everyone via WhatsApp. Communication is more little and often now through text, rather than less often and talking for longer like it used to be when you’d call someone for a catch up every week or so

50s here. I hate talking on the phone.

Because social norms and human behaviour evolve? We are on an ever changing path of social evolution towards what we don't know, but you can't argue with change, it happens anyway. You're coming across a bit old man yelling at clouds TBH

Mid 60s and never liked talking on the phone! I'll do it for work related / business reasons or with my dad. Otherwise only quick calls to my immediate family. Much much prefer WhatsApp and text if I have to. (I remember the era of not having use of the phone in my rented accommodation and spending evenings looking for a working phone box so I could to sort out my social life - hellish)

Yes, actually. But I've grown used to being in control of my time. I can read your message now, reply in half an hour or tomorrow, you have the same privilege. It's hard to understand why phoning makes me feel put on the spot somehow, but it does.

I do. I used to love chatting on the phone . Messaging feels like a job and its not the same vibe at all. I miss it loads

A phone call interrupts what the recipient was doing. A text doesn’t, as it is read at the recipient’s leisure.

Remember the orange 50 phone deal? 50 minutes calls a day, after 7, for 50p a day. I used to use that every night and more in my early 20s. Now, phone calls are about instructions/communications apart from to my parents.

I do miss it, but other people have to be in the mood for it too. I have someone who very occasionally (once a year or so) rings me when on the train and it’s so annoying as the reception goes in and out of range as the train goes through tunnels.

Just looked at my phone last incoming call was Christmas Day, I called Southern water on December 18th so I guess not

In a shop the other week, a man was with his wife and young family shopping. He was pushing the pushchair at the same time as broadcasting a FaceTime call with a mate, by the sound of it.