This was too big to post on Twitter or Gtalk, but it’s a thought I had while reflecting on how instant messaging has impacted relationships I’ve had with people over the last few years.

The problem is that it’s not as much that instant messaging has replaced another form of communication as that it has bridged a gap. Its relative non-intrusiveness as well as the ability to access it from virtually anywhere nowadays has simply made it a new standard. But it’s that non-intrusiveness that also proves to be its downfall; the format only allows for written communication, so while we may be more closely connected now than ever before, we are only able to get to know people in ways that they control, which leaves little room for spontaneity, and a lot of room for misunderstanding.