The Limitations and Challenges of Text Communication T_T
T_T - This symbol was created yesterday by myself and a few mentors. It means - Text communication is hard, but I am trying my very best to understand you.
So often, we all struggle to fully understand one another in text communication. Especially managing or working as a team is hard when communicating exclusively over text. We need to be way more open and honest about this communication limiation in our community (especially on our leadership teams). Moving forward I challenge you all to accept this limiation and be open about it with yourself and one another. Instead of assuming someone is trying to intentially offend you or exclude you by their words, please first think of the text limiations we have. Ask them to clarify their words and be open to the fact that it may take a little extra time to fully understand what someone is trying to communicate to you!
Limitations of text only communicaiton include: Not being able to properly see body language, voice tone or facial expression. Additionally, there may be cultural or language differences missed by text only communication.
We can no longer be in denail about this problem. We are a global community, with people from all over the world. We will continue to struggle with this, it is inevidable. Please join me in using this signal to accept this problem as a community and use it as a way to communicate patience and support towards one another as we coordinate and communicate via text.
T_T
Discussion questions -
What limitations have you encountered on 7 Cups with text communication?
Have you ever completely misunderstood someone on text?
Share a story from working as a team and communicating over text!
What cultural difference can be seen in text communication?
@Laura Very helpful! It's extra hard when we can't hear tone or see facial expressions or body language.
Let's make T_T a thing! Hope it catches on.
@Kate
That's the crying face tho
@summertimeSamness
How do you use it? Like I need clarification on your response then add T_T
^like that?
@Laura
It's easy to take things or comments the wrong way in text communications. It's easy to misunderstand things because you aren't seeing the person themselves. It is convenient yes, but there are negatives to it. I feel like I need to much more carefully watch how I say and phrase different issues.
😭
@Laura T_T
T_T was already a thing... It's a crying face.
@seacastle That's exactly why it was chosen.
@AiluraBlaze If that's the case then why did Laura say she created it? Very confusing to me.
@seacastle created this new definition of symbol.
@Laura
You're very right. I've had many arguments with my husband because of txt messages being taken the wrong way.
We now make sure to use emoticons to show that we're playing or having a laugh. And if we are still not sure, we call or leave a voice message. It has avoided many potential fights and unintended heartbreak.
On 7 cups, I often want to place an emoticon, but I find the availability very limited.
Perhaps it possible to included more emojis, for a wider range of emotions? Perhaps the emoji set like its used in whatsapp can also be used here?
T_T
@StarJourney
Just testing if posting external emoji work, Please ignore 😅 😍
If these don't work we can always go to text emoticons (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ \_(ツ)_/
@StarJourney The keyboard emoji work in chat too but I use the site on my laptop, so no emoji. Maybe it's time to install on my phone. 🤔
(I copy and pasted that haha)
@StarJourney
Example: I don't quite understand what you're trying to say, can you explain further? \_(ツ)_/
xD Kidding, please no
@StarJourney
<3
eMoji set, great idea! (I don't know how to portray a bulb textually LOL)
T_T
@Laura
I like this idea because I feel like people misunderstand me alot here and I get labeled as negative when I say my opinion even tho I say it in a nice way
T_T
Don't expect this thread to be not T_T spam. We did this, fellow mentors, and I love it.
T_T
@JaydenIsHere T_T
@Kate, T_T
@JovialOne T_T
@bunnypants,T_T
@Laura this is a great post, thank you for sharing it! I loved our discussion in the meeting and well, I was so so excited that my suggestion was choosen 
Let's see if I can answer your discussion propertly!
What limitations have you encountered on 7 Cups with text communication?
I believe that the biggest limiation for me is that I can't hear people talking so I don't know what tone they are using, are they being serious or sarcastic and etc.
Another huge aspect that is hard to me is all the text language, like slang, short versions of the words, acronyms, etc. It is hard to get them at times when you are not native English speaker but I am doing my best
Have you ever completely misunderstood someone on text?
I am sure I did, I can't remember any example for now when I misunderstood someone completely but I am sure that there were times like that and that there were lots of the times I am not aware of *hides*
Share a story from working as a team and communicating over text!
I think the best story that I have is how we figured out that we can have some kind of word that would say that now we are talkign seriously and it needs to be addressed rightly. It was the decision we made to ensure that we can remain friends and keep friendly relationships as well as work as a team in a professional mannier and I love it !
What cultural difference can be seen in text communication?
Every culture have it's own ways to communicate and usually people are doing the same in texts as they do in reality. So when we have different cultures interact, we might understand different words, emojies, gestures (like *hugs* ) differently so it can create a mass misunderstanding.
Eh, well... T_T
