How dry is your text life? I’ve recently become aware of the phenomenon of dry texting: the terse, single-word responses (Yes, No, OK, Lol) to chatty messages that are viewed as inadequate, hostile or hurtful.
Our family chat is arid, a veritable Atacama Desert. Most messages are “k” or “OK”. Interesting titbits sent by those of us keen to maintain a skein of connection (yes, fine, mainly me) go uncommented on; often unopened. My husband recently circulated a link to a news article about the local repair cafe where he volunteers, which, thrillingly, featured a picture of him failing to repair a woman’s kettle and telling her “I am sorry for your loss”; neither of our sons responded.
