Toxicity

—Texting is toxic.

—To what?

—Relationships.

—Why?

—It’s complicated. It enables you to say something to someone (perhaps even a loved one) which precludes their knocking the shit out of you – slapping your shanky jowls or telling you to get the hell out of here, What you gotta say that for? They can text those things back at you, but all physicality is absent. The words grow vicious, perhaps to make up for that? I dunno. This is a study in progress.

—You think texting makes it easier for people to be mean to each other.

—Yeah, I think that’s much of it. It also helps us de-center from wherethefuckever we are, the perfect Don’t Be Here Now mode of communication. It’s also good for people who prefer only to be seen, never touched. Perfect, in fact…

—But then, we’re carrying on this conversation by text, so . . . ??

—A smidge of irony never hurt a conversation.