The Bachelorette and the Power of Texting

Did you see The Bachelorette last night? It was quite the emotional week for Ashley -- one bachelor severely insulted her, a group of bachelors unsympathetically roasted her commenting on her looks and chest size, and yet another bachelor dumped her telling us viewers he was never interested in her in the first place. And during all this turmoil, a new character found its own place in this story -- the text. Michelle, a previous bachelorette, outed Bentley, the dumping bachelor, by sending a single text to Ashley even before the show had started. This single text of a few characters saying that Bentley was there for the wrong reasons has become a central 'character' in every episode, despite the fact that Ashley never picked up the phone to call Michelle to find out more. Yet, questions abound -- is Michelle telling the truth, will Ashley confront him, how will Bentley react, is the text for real?

So why are we talking about a single text as a central character on a show about dating? In the past, we used to call or chat with a friend to relay our concerns over a new friend or potential date. The conversation would explore the reasons for and against having concerns and the friend would then decide his/her next step. If recorded and transcribed, an average 'warning' conversation might be at least 1,000 words or about 5,000 characters.

Today, a text like the one sent to Ashley might have less than 20 words or about 100 characters, even less characters than Twitter allows. And yet, we might make major life decisions based on such a single line of text. We will save it, re-read it, maybe even forward it. If a friend who sent us such a text had actually called to say the same thing, we wouldn't let her hang up unless she justified the comment, provided supporting facts, and responded to a barrage of follow-up questions. Instead, we think quickly, move quickly, and sometimes walk into a hopeless situation.

Humans are a social creature.

Shall we talk?

Let's see what lessons about the digital world next week's episode of The Bachelorette brings.

Until then, just remember - there's no replacement for a good conversation.

 

Follow Hemanshu Nigam on Twitter: www.twitter.com/hemanshunigam

Comments

[bud536]

01:22 PM on 06/08/2011

Does anyone really think this program is something other than 100% from a script? A text from a friend of the guys ex-wife to the bachelorette? Just happens to also be a "friend" of the bachelorette? Wow! what an amazing coincidence!!!! Odds must be at least 10 million to one!!! And no one on the show thinks that is worth commenting on??? Seriously, these people are all there for the same reason, not right or wrong. They all want to be actors, and this is their big chance to audition for a real Hollywood job. Must be tough for a writer to come up with this stuff week after week to keep people watching. The mask guy - are you kidding me??

[Hemanshu Nigam]

01:45 PM on 06/08/2011

The reason they were friends is that both were on the show last season together so Michelle and Ashley actually do know each other.

[Kevin Himmel]

01:49 AM on 06/08/2011

Ashley just cannot be that ignorant. She was forewarned by Michelle about Bentley and that he had come onto the show for the wrong reasons. Then just like a 12 year old girl, marches right into the clutches of Bentley only to be hurt and devastated, because he dumped her big time. Why did this young lady ignore the warning from Michelle. When she sees this particular episode, she will be hurt all over again. This creep never cared for her and did not think she was attractive at all, except he did say she had a nice a** and at one point indicated she would only be someone he would have sex with on occasions. What a massive ego this guy has. This time the Bachelorette is proving to me that it should be winding down. It just does not make sense anymore..