“I thought I’d voice note because it’s easier”

[crabsaremisunderstood]

More and more of my friends reply to my texts with a voice note and cite this exact phrase. Yes, it’s easier. But ONLY for the sender, not the recipient! I hate having to speed up the bastard things to get to the point of the message, when I could scan read a text in a matter of seconds.

Also, I don’t mind them when I’ve got a free day and can listen whilst pottering about with housework, but there’s no chance I can listen when I’m at work, so I have to leave them hanging for hours instead of seeing the text and quickly replying.

AIBU?

(light hearted…sort of )

I have one friend who sends fun, interesting, non urgent voicenotes. I love these and if I can’t listen for 24 hours it’s fine. Another friend who has millions of small children - annoying but I get that she has no free time to text. Other friend just sends them for NO REASON AND I NEED HER TO STOP. Anything over 4 minutes inexcusable.

I hate this!! Firstly I find it more difficult as I have to concentrate to listen (I find it easier to read), then usually when I need to reply I have to listen again. Particularly annoying if it's very long.

I hear you - I don't like VN or any message / learning in an audio format as I feel it's inefficient and slow to get to the point for the listener, compared to how quickly you can read and the fact you can multitask, do it in public etc. However, they can be nice in some circumstances. I'm sure when I was young and always calling my friends, we would have loved them! I remember recording tapes for each other and it was such fun, so nice hearing each other's voices.

I always think they must be great technology for people who are visually impaired. DM is 86 and struggles to learn anything new and with her loss of vision cannot read texts any more - life would be different if VN had come along earlier in her life.

Hate them!!! I've got people sending me 10 minute long messages. It's crazy! I find them so self inflating. Yuck! (I have one friend whose voice notes I love, as she makes me laugh, but that's it)

I absolutely hate them.

I always write back saying can't listen to voice notes until this evening. Then don't reply until that night, if at all. My friends have stopped sending them!

I generally can't listen to them when they arrive e.g. I'm at work or on the bus, then I shelve them to listen to later, then I forget and never listen!

Agree. Or worse still they decide to ring to answer a simple question i asked.
WhatsApp message question = WhatsApp message answer!!!!

This is brilliant!!

I love them, I live far from most of my friends and our schedules are such that phone calls are difficult. So I love to hear their voices and to hear sometimes long detailed accounts of things that have happened. I usually listen in my car and they keep me company on boring commutes! However none of my friends are needy types and there’s no expectation to listen soon after the message has been sent.

I have a friend who leaves a 2 minute voice note to respond to a simple text requiring a yes or no answer

The only saving grace is I can play it at x2 speed to make it s one minute voice note

The reality is - if I'm in a situation where I am actually able to listen to a voice note in peace, then I am probably listening to something else that I really want to listen to.

Whereas I can respond to a text far more easily and in far more situations.

I know I'm in the minority but I prefer them. I listen with headphones in at work, on my way to the station, while doing housework or cooking, on my say to a hobby (mine or the DCs). I basically feel like I'm on the go all the time - I like a busy life - but for me personally listening to a VN is easier and faster then reading a text.

My best friend has in the last year gone through a huge work issue and a break up and it's all been chronicled in voice notes!

I don't even listen to voice mail, much less voice notes. Anyone who tries to send me one can fuck off into the deep blue silence.

Not keen, but partner is visually impaired, so it would be harsh of me to complain. To be fair, he usually only sends them when tired, and fed up with having to correct everything that autocorrect mangles when he dictates into his phone.

Loathe them. With the exception of one lovely friend, for me it’s only the friends who tend towards being disrespectful of other people’s time who insist on sending them.

Two in particular try to set up logistics and dates with them which is the most egregious thing of all - every time I need to check where/when we’re meeting, you expect me to listen to your message again?

I get they’re easier to send but they are not remotely easy to listen to with a young nosy baby!

I love a voice note! It's nice to hear my friends voices when we haven't got time for a proper chat.

I couldn’t agree more - the responses on here are massively ridiculous and whoever said people sending VN’s are entitled really made me laugh at the utter hypocrisy.

People wanting to connect with you in a more meaningful way. Oh god, how dreadful of them! How very dare they😆

Exactly the same and the same reason I can’t stand video. If it’s written I can skip to what I need or go back and read it again for clarification easily.

I have two friends who do this and their voice notes get ignored. I just reply to any text around it.

I love voice notes. Much prefer them to texts.

And they are much easier when you're busy

Agreed

Don’t like them either. Often can’t hear the voice, just background noise

It's the same as a VM really

I dont tend to listen to those either

I hate them. So self-indulgent. YES I KNOW I can speed them up, but it's still miles slower than me reading the equivalent text!