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There’s been an ongoing conversation online about how people have become reluctant to answer phone calls. Maybe it’s more of an observation than a joke, but it really hits home for many of us. Do you ever feel a sense of dread when your phone rings? For me, it’s like a mild panic attack, complete with sweaty palms and a racing heart. I’ve even jokingly named my fear “Phonecallophobia.” It’s strange because this fear doesn’t happen with texts, emails, or WhatsApp notifications—only phone calls. It puzzles me since, during my childhood and teenage years, getting a call was so exciting.
I remember my mom talking for hours on our home phone, tucked away in our little study under the stairs so she wouldn’t be interrupted. The phone’s ringing always brought a thrill—who could it be, and what news would they bring? Unlike today’s calls, which can come at any time, calls back then usually happened during convenient times, like after dinner or on the weekend. It felt more relaxed and predictable. If you got a call outside these times, it often meant something urgent had happened.
And there was always the option of simply not answering and pretending no one was home. We could ignore the ringing, and the caller wouldn’t know any better. My dad often advised us to let it ring if it seemed to be someone likely to chatter too much. However, with a mobile phone always on you, it’s harder to dodge calls without seeming rude. Seeing a persistent caller ID while you’re trying to enjoy some downtime adds to the stress.
At least with modern tech, we can silence our phones with a simple click. It’s different from old phones that would just ring and ring, filling the house with noise and adding to our guilt for not answering. Nowadays, the caller’s face might even appear on your screen, making it that much harder to ignore them guilt-free. But it’s the expectation of being constantly reachable that fuels this modern phone anxiety.
Take my partner, for instance—he loves making phone calls and cannot stand texting. He’ll call someone immediately after receiving a text because he knows they’re available. For me, that’s like an unexpected wake-up call in the middle of the night.
He also likes to visit people without prior notice, just dropping by and ringing the doorbell. Who does that in this day and age? I imagine people hiding from him when he shows up unannounced.
So, how do you feel about answering phone calls? Feel free to share your thoughts or vote in my survey. While I love staying in touch with family and friends, there’s a general unease about being expected to always be available. With calls demanding immediate attention, they contrast sharply with the more leisurely nature of emails and texts. And don’t get me started on unknown numbers…