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Original poster

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

364 replies

Gurolou · 08/02/2026 20:52

All my friends want to text or WhatsApp, it seems to be a thing, I hate it. We are all in our forties and fifties so texting wasn't even a thing for most of our lives. Is this really the same for everyone and just how things are? Because I actually hate texts and WhatsApp it just feels like stuff piling on top of me, and I miss talking to people.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gurolou · 08/02/2026 21:11

@Who has half an hour to spare to sit rabbiting on the phone?

Wild as it sounds, the people who have half an hour to spare for doom scrolling/posting at strangers on Mumsnet/looking at cats on the internet, probably have half an hour to spare for talking on the phone.

OP posts:
cramptramp · 08/02/2026 21:11

I’m in my 60’s and it’s WhatsApp all the way. I have one friend who uses text messages but that seems really old fashioned now. I face time family but never phone friends. I never have the sound switched on on my phone so I don’t hear notifications.

mdinbc · 08/02/2026 21:11

I like to hear your voice, so phone calls for me. I use text for messages, usually once sentence, for meet ups, etc., but I would rather chat by phone for anything longer.

My SIL texts great big long paragraphs, I answer in one sentence. By the second long text, I find it easier just to call her.

Octavia64 · 08/02/2026 21:10

Gurolou · 08/02/2026 21:04

Oh man really? My phone pings all the time. The interruptions are constant. I genuinely hate how friendships have become just another interruption.

Show quote history

Turn notifications off.

set do not disturb overnight.
mute annoying what’s apps that you only check occasionally (class group, choir information, football lift group etc)

TwistedWonder · 08/02/2026 21:10

Im 60 and do most of my communication via WhatsApp. I do speak to friends occasionally on the phone if there’s a lot to say but other than that the only person who still calls regularly is my 83 year old mum.

I hate voice notes. Thankfully only ever knee one person who sent them and I told her I don’t ever listen to them so she stopped.

NancyJoan · 08/02/2026 21:10

Love a phone chat. I have one friend who I will talk to for up to two hours at a time. WhatsApp etc is just a pain.

herbalteabag · 08/02/2026 21:10

I only speak to my mum and children on the phone, prefer FaceTime for child that moved away. With friends it's always WhatsApp or text. I wouldn't really like a friend to call me just for a chat and I would be astonished if they did. It would stop me doing whatever I was doing. Much prefer messaging.
I'm in my 50s and used to spend a long time talking on the phone when younger, but I've moved on from it now!

sanityisamyth · 08/02/2026 21:09

Hate voice notes but WhatsApp runs my whole life! Love it.

DistractMe · 08/02/2026 21:09

I'm in my 60s and am definitely team WhatsApp. I don't even like receiving texts.

ETA all my notifications are on silent, but I do check my phone quite frequently.

SlightlyUnexpected · 08/02/2026 21:09

I’m 53 but grew up without a phone and never firmed the habit of phone chats. I have one close friend who lives at a distance to whom I talk regularly on the phone for an hour or more at a time, but the only other people I ever phone are my parents, and DH and DS, other than in situations where it’s a matter of ‘I’m here and can’t see you?’

Papyrophile · 08/02/2026 21:09

I answer the phone and the door bell. I never even look to see who is on the other side. I cannot imagine how awful a person's life must be or how threatened they must feel to avoid answering. I am so so sorry for you ..

ImthatBoleyngirl · 08/02/2026 21:08

I'm 46 and I hate phone calls. They are usually inconvenient. With messages, I can read and answer in my own time. I've never liked phone calls so I was very happy when I could start messaging people instead.

W078 · 08/02/2026 21:08

Early 30s, I only do WhatsApp and other messaging, the only calls I get are spam, I don’t miss calls and I find I keep in touch more as doesn’t require us to be free at the same time.

Original poster
Gurolou · 08/02/2026 21:07

Growlybear83 · 08/02/2026 21:06

I always phone people if I’ve got anything to say. If it’s something quick and unimportant I sometimes send a text message or use WhatsApp, but I think messaging is too impersonal most of the time.

Thank Christ. That's two of us at least.

OP posts:
DawnBreaks · 08/02/2026 21:07

I ring my Mum occasionally but that's it! ( I do see her several times a week) Everyone else is WhatsApp. The odd video call on birthdays for family members maybe. Who has half an hour to spare to sit rabbiting on the phone? Also I hate people ringing me randomly. Its always a bad time but you feel you have to chat. Voice notes are the spawn of the devil and should be banned.

Growlybear83 · 08/02/2026 21:06

I always phone people if I’ve got anything to say. If it’s something quick and unimportant I sometimes send a text message or use WhatsApp, but I think messaging is too impersonal most of the time.

Original poster
Gurolou · 08/02/2026 21:04

oviraptor21 · 08/02/2026 21:03

Not inefficient at all. Can fit it in while doing other things. Doesn't interrupt what I'm doing.

Oh man really? My phone pings all the time. The interruptions are constant. I genuinely hate how friendships have become just another interruption.

OP posts:
Chuffingcupboard · 08/02/2026 21:04

Phone DB and DM, WhatsApp everyone else. Sometimes jump to WhatsApp call, sometimes set a time for a phone call but mostly see people in real life to talk.

TheGoodOnesAreAllGone · 08/02/2026 21:04

I don't mind phone calls if I won't be seeing the person any time soon and there's something we want to chat about. Otherwise, prefer texts to arrange meet ups then talk face to face. I don't like loads of back and forth text conversations though and despise voice notes!
I am in my forties and had a mobile for over 30 years so texting has absolutely been a 'thing' for most of my life

oviraptor21 · 08/02/2026 21:03

I chat shit with people irl - not on the phone.

Original poster
Gurolou · 08/02/2026 21:03

eurochick · 08/02/2026 21:03

I’m 50 and only ever phone my parents. It’s text or WhatsApp for everyone else. I hate calling people now. I used to love it when I was younger.

What changed for you, that made you dislike talking to people?

OP posts:
oviraptor21 · 08/02/2026 21:03

Not inefficient at all. Can fit it in while doing other things. Doesn't interrupt what I'm doing.

Original poster
Gurolou · 08/02/2026 21:03

Thewonderfuleveryday · 08/02/2026 21:00

I speak to my mum once a week. Not chatted to anyone else on the phone in over a decade I reckon.

Don't you miss it, at all? I do. I miss just chatting shit.

OP posts:
eurochick · 08/02/2026 21:03

I’m 50 and only ever phone my parents. It’s text or WhatsApp for everyone else. I hate calling people now. I used to love it when I was younger.

Justern · 08/02/2026 21:02

The only people I speak to on the phone are organisations to deal with matters that are too urgent for email, or those that insist on phone calls and don't have any other way to communicate. I mostly use Whatsapp texts for friends, never voice notes, I find phone calls a faff as you need to respond immediately and feel it's a bit rude really to demand that time. I'm 47 and I used to have long phone conversations but I haven't done that for about 15 years.

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