Is it wrong to expect an answer?

[primer]

When texting, whether it is family or friends, is it wrong to expect an answer to a question?

Examples:

Do you want me to ride with?     No answer.

Is it temporary?     No answer.

Did you contact the doctor office?     No answer.

This happens to me quite often. Am I expecting too much when I expect an answer? Should I stop answering questions?

 

 

 

[mark clemson]

It's flaky, but sometimes people get distracted. I've gotten texts that I didn't even notice until a few days later. By then responding seemed superfluous.

I think the polite thing for them to do is to apologize for taking so long and to answer. But not everyone bothers to be polite all the time - that's just life.

If it's really important, you can text a few times.

All other things being equal, I think lowering your expectations makes more sense than ending communication altogether. Of course if it really bothers you, e.g. with a friend or acquaintance who's less critical in your life, you could always do that.

[Fresh_Start]

We are a society that has become so overly reliant on impersonal methods of communication that many people have developed deplorable interpersonal skills and reprehensible levels of etiquette, decency, and common courtesy.  I'm old school.  I didn't even own my first cellphone until I opened my business in 2004 and back then, because it was still so foreign to me, if a girl I was dating or anyone else sent me a text message that was my cue to call them.  It was weird having very slow, tedious, and time consuming "text conversations" when you could say so much more in so much less time and in a far more fulfilling way with a good old fashioned conversation.  In my current profession I'm typically responding to emails and texts with a phone call while I'm driving between clients.  I don't text and drive and definitely don't email while behind the wheel so a phone call is a quick and efficient way to respond. 

You're not expecting too much at all and I'm sure you find it as annoying as I do to either not get a response at all or have to wait hours or days to get one when you could get an answer to some of these basic questions in 5 seconds with a phone call.  So that's my advice to you.  If you send a text and someone doesn't respond within a reasonable amount of time, call them. Call whenever possible and welcome to the movement.

[ShyViolet]

It's a pet peeve of mine when I text someone and they don't answer.  I find it incredibly rude.  Don't get me wrong, I don't expect people to necessarily answer right away, I understand people might be busy.  But I do expect an answer within a reasonable amount of time, unless there's some extenuating circumstance like they had an emergency or a REALLY busy day.

[LuckyM]

This happens to me with emails frequently not with texts though. even in business mail. People don't respond if the answer is negative. We don't like saying no. Or they don't want to tell you or I felt that they don't care to talk in text or IRL.  Excuses don't mean much to me.   Oh well

[d0nnivain]

if you need the answer, call

[CaliforniaGirl]

I think you should expect an answer to direct questions, even if it's "busy, talk later." Or whatever.

To literally be ignored when you asked a direct question is weird.

Once in a while, sure, because sometimes we'll (you probably do this too, OP) think, "Oh, I'd better answer Mom. I'll do it when I get home" but somehow you just forget. But if it's routine...if it's frequent, with a bunch of different people...I do think that's weird.

[basil67]

Yesterday found a question my sister sent last week.   While some people aren't reliable, the medium itself is not infallible.

I agree with d0nni - if you need an answer, make a call.   If there's no answer, make another call later.  When you've actually spoken with them, you will *know* they got the message.

 

Edited July 2, 2020 by basil67

[Fresh_Start]

*Plot twist*

Primer forgot to pay her cell phone bill. 

[Pumaza]

its nice if they answer.atleast like im busy now. instead of no answer.

[understand50]

Why do you not pick up the phone and call?   Texting account can get overwhelmed with junk, and so be useless for communication.