Texting

Texting Is a Low-Bandwidth Channel

Most texting mistakes are attempts to do work the medium was never built to carry.

Marcus HaleAugust 7, 20266 min read

Tone, timing and body language carry the majority of meaning in person. Strip all three away and you are left with a channel suited to exactly one job: arranging the next time you meet.

The Purpose Test

Before sending, ask what the message is for. Logistics, warmth, or curiosity are fine. Reassurance-seeking is not, and it reads clearly even when disguised.

On Response Timing

Match rhythm loosely rather than counting minutes. Deliberate delay is a strategy people detect quickly, and it costs more in warmth than it gains in mystique.

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