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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think voice clips should be banned?

171 replies

scegliere · 16/05/2022 22:03

I'm not talking about voicemail. I have nothing against a short message to say that you tried to call, give details on when would be good to call back, etc etc.

I'm talking about the voice clips you can record on Whatsapp, messenger and so on. Maybe it's just my circle, but some of my friends will leave about 10x1 minute voice clips. In order to listen to them, I need to have a quiet, private space, time to listen to them all, and some way to note down everything they've said because by the time I've got to the last one I can't remember what was said in the earlier ones. With a text, you can just read back to make sure you've replied to everything they've said. If you need to reply a little later, you have to relisten to the whole thing again. Voice clips only benefit the sender, not the receiver.

They were a good idea to try out, but now we've seen how insanely annoying they are, it's time for them to be treated as a failed experiment.

OP posts:
housemaus · 17/05/2022 09:17

coffeecupsandfairylights · 17/05/2022 08:53

Voice note is the best of both worlds - listen in your own time, still hear their voice.

Why not leave a voicemail?

Cos a voicemail is harder to access - have to dial in, have to listen to the voicemail as it happens (rather than being able to pause or speed up/slow down the playback etc). Can't replay it easily and instantly.

A voicemail also doesn't stay within the flow of a conversation - if I want to tell my friend a funny/long story or she wants to give me an update on her life cos we haven't spoken in a few weeks and we send a text like "What've you been up to, tell me everything", I want to be able to listen to that voicenote within that chat window, not:

  • leave the chat
  • call their number
  • wait for them to not-answer so I can leave a voicemail (because the whole point is that they can listen to it in their own time, rather than requiring a phone call)
  • go back to the chat and tell them I've sent them a voicemail so they can then dial into their voice mailbox and listen
  • hope they caught all the info the first time or wait for them to go through the menu options to listen again
  • wait for them to come back to the chat to reply
Compared to "Here's a voice note directly beneath your message with my funny story/update, that you can easily access by one tap of the play button, pause and replay whenever you want, and it stays in the chat for context should you need or want to come back to it".
lassof · 17/05/2022 09:22

The great thing about voice mail is you can disable the feature

Mangogogogo · 17/05/2022 09:22

Me and my friends just find it easier than texting if we’ve got a lot to say. It’s like having a phone call but you can take a minute in between replies if you’re busy.

I've never had anyone text and say text instead or ignore me but I wouldn’t be overly offended I’d just leave it. But then again my friends and I seem to want to talk to each other… on here it feels like friends are a chore to everyone

AnImaginaryCat · 17/05/2022 09:31

lassof · 17/05/2022 06:53

It's like people don't understand what the mic on their keyboard does - if you don't like typing, then dictate your message! Don't force people to have to listen to you ... with no 'skim read' option ... while you drone on.
Op, I agree
Luckily the power is with you. Just leave them unread.
Or, the passive aggressive approach, return each message with your own, longer, voice message. Add 1 minute, or a factor, to theirs. Make it totally rambling and pointless

"Force" people to listen to their voice. There are no words to describe how ludicrous this sounds.

What caused you to be so uptight and incapable/unwilling to cope with ordinary things in life?

Plus evidently they do know what the mic is for...

aurynne · 17/05/2022 09:40

If you have "a lot to say" surely it's much more respectful to have an actual conversation with your friend/family member when you both have time and not force them to listen to a neverending monologue with no chance to contribute to it or share their side?

Oysterbabe · 17/05/2022 09:43

Only one person in my friends WhatsApp uses them and only when she's too pissed to type. They are annoying if you are able to type but are just choosing not to.

Brefugee · 17/05/2022 09:45

meh. Lots of people use them. If i can't listen, or i can't be bothered to listen i don't reply. And if it's urgent they'll call or whatever.

(my millenneals send voice messages all the time, they hold the phone too far away and wave it around and mutter and mumble. I have told them not to do this, if they want an answer they have to write. So i ignore 99% of what they send and it's great)

FrankLampardsBrokenHand · 17/05/2022 10:46

I don't use them, they're used by my friends primarily who are at home all day, who don't have to consider their environment etc

But like most things they have their place. Doesn't mean we all have to use them. So YABU.

KettrickenSmiled · 17/05/2022 10:59

some of my friends will leave about 10x1 minute voice clips. In order to listen to them, I need to have a quiet, private space, time to listen to them all, and some way to note down everything they've said because by the time I've got to the last one I can't remember what was said in the earlier ones.

You don't have to do this at all.

You simply text back saying "I can't access voice clips, so please will you text me your messages instead?"

Thinkbiglittleone · 17/05/2022 11:05

I use them with some friends and not with others.

I like them, I think sometimes messages can be misinterpreted if it's a voice note, you hear the tone of the message, also they are so much quicker, just say what you need and I like hearing the voice sometimes when we don't have time to catch up face to face or over the phone for a bit.

Surely if you forget what's in a message, your also forget what's in a text message and need to reread that as well, but I think it's great they are an option.

HoboSexualOnslow · 17/05/2022 11:15

I love them, but hate voicemails. They seem to be love or hate!

sundayweatherwatch · 17/05/2022 11:20

I love receiving these from my friends - especially those who live abroad and who I never see. I hate voicemail though 😆

Agree they shouldn't be more than 5 mins though.

EcafTnuc · 17/05/2022 11:32

It's like people don't understand what the mic on their keyboard does - if you don't like typing, then dictate your message!

It’s like people don’t understand dictate doesn’t work for accents that don’t conform to RP.

SleeplessInEngland · 17/05/2022 11:35

I don't get many but I roll my eyes when I do beause it's always from friends who, shall we say, struggle to be concise.

lassof · 17/05/2022 11:44

EcafTnuc · 17/05/2022 11:32

It's like people don't understand what the mic on their keyboard does - if you don't like typing, then dictate your message!

It’s like people don’t understand dictate doesn’t work for accents that don’t conform to RP.

just change it in settings?

Zemw · 17/05/2022 11:53

I love them.

My friend died at a young age. Now I get to hear her voice whenever I want.

Original poster
scegliere · 17/05/2022 12:36

I'm surprised that non-native speakers find it easier to leave a voice clip than write a message... I speak two foreign languages, and I find speaking much more intimidating than writing. The idea of recording a monologue in English scares me enough, let alone in a foreign language.

OP posts:
Original poster
scegliere · 17/05/2022 12:38

Thinkbiglittleone · 17/05/2022 11:05

I use them with some friends and not with others.

I like them, I think sometimes messages can be misinterpreted if it's a voice note, you hear the tone of the message, also they are so much quicker, just say what you need and I like hearing the voice sometimes when we don't have time to catch up face to face or over the phone for a bit.

Surely if you forget what's in a message, your also forget what's in a text message and need to reread that as well, but I think it's great they are an option.

Reading is much quicker than listening

OP posts:
NewandNotImproved · 17/05/2022 12:54

How do so many people still not know the age range millennials are?

‘What’s not to love?’
if you’d read the thread you’d see that no one likes a monologue, and expecting people to take time to sit and listen to to one is rude. There are other ways of communication that are better.

tcjotm · 17/05/2022 13:00

scegliere · 17/05/2022 12:36

I'm surprised that non-native speakers find it easier to leave a voice clip than write a message... I speak two foreign languages, and I find speaking much more intimidating than writing. The idea of recording a monologue in English scares me enough, let alone in a foreign language.

Out of curiosity, did you learn them in school or by being immersed? I’d agree I’d be more comfortable writing languages I learned via formal classes but the one I learned from being immersed I’d much rather speak in than write and another which has a totally different alphabet I’d also rather speak as it would take me forever to write. Not that I’d leave anyone voice clips in either. Curious from a language learning perspective only!

EmmaH2022 · 17/05/2022 13:03

HoboSexualOnslow · 17/05/2022 11:15

I love them, but hate voicemails. They seem to be love or hate!

Why do you hate voicemail? I would have thought if you like voice notes, you'd be okay with voicemail.

SVRT19674 · 17/05/2022 13:08

I use text and voice note. The second usually when I have my hands full with little one. But then they are short and sweet. If I had to tell someone we can´t finally meet I would call them. For the record, I find them really useful. But then, I am Spanish.🙂

BalloonsAndWhistles · 17/05/2022 13:11

Oh God, DH’s ex-wife does this. We both hate it when her voice fills the car, feels like she’s right there with us. Trouble is, he doesn’t like to wait to listen to any messages from her in case there’s a problem with the kids.

Thinkbiglittleone · 17/05/2022 14:19

Reading is much quicker than listening

As others have said,You can listen on quick speed if you need to whizz through. I also like it as I can listen while doing something else.

Gioia1 · 17/05/2022 14:25

I love them. I speak 4 languages on a daily basis to family and friends and it saves me having to change keyboard every time. That as well as saving me so much time