Phone calls cause anxiety for ‘60 per cent’ of Gen Z

Added: 2026-05-26

[00:00:00]it when you you try to call someone on the phone or or let's even go back a few steps. You send someone a a text message, right? Uh and then they don't want to reply to the text message. They they call you up on the phone instead.

[00:00:11]This is what James McFersonen does all the time. You send him a text, he will give you a call. If you then try to call him at any other time, he doesn't answer the phone. You kind of got to send it.

[00:00:22]It's like sending a batch signal. You've got to send the text message first, >> then you'll get a phone call. But it's all part of this broader thing now where apparently younger people in particular are scared to answer the phone. They don't pick up the phone anymore. It's it's text message uh and that's it. If you want to get hold of someone, do not go d.

[00:00:42]They're not going to answer the phone.

[00:00:43]Now, there was a column today in the Sydney Morning Herald by Zorya Patel about this in which she writes that there is nothing worse you could do to me than call my mobile. Nothing. Nothing worse. Literally nothing worse. You know, old uncle Chop Chop could be pulling toenails out of her. Not as bad as getting on the telephone. She says, "When my phone rings, I feel irritation mingled with fear. Nothing good ever comes from a phone call. And importantly, a phone call does not achieve anything that a text can't do faster and with less impost." And there'd been a number of surveys and studies done on this, including one that said 60% of Australians aged between 18 and 26 said they dreaded making or accepting a phone call. Now, a few things I have to pick up on here.

[00:01:36]There's there's nothing that a text can't do faster. Now look, I don't know about you, but sometimes when you try to organize something via text message, you get caught in the weeds cuz you can't you don't get intonation and various other things through text messages.

[00:01:55]>> There are absolutely things that you could do on a twominute phone call that would otherwise take you backwards and forwards of texting for 10 or 20 minutes, right? I just want it done. I got to get a task done. You pick up the phone, you get the answer. End of right.

[00:02:11]There are absolutely applications where using the phone is far more efficient.

[00:02:15]But I don't know, people seem to have become I don't know whether it's social anxiety or what it is now. People just do not want to use the phone at all.

[00:02:24]>> I think we have lost the art of communication. That is the problem because we're always behind the phone and it's just easier. And I think people uh are just think no, I'm not going to make that call because it's too hard.

[00:02:35]And I think people are anxious about making a call. Now the three of us work in an industry where we have to make calls. If you're not on the phone, if you're not organizing things, then you may as well be in the wrong industry. I would actually say we become pains to be honest. We we will absolutely hound a person to get the information that we want. That is the nature of the industry we work in. I mean aside from James.

[00:02:57]James is always James is always on the phone.

[00:03:02]But I do think it is it is really an indictment on on this next generation. I think we have lost the art of knowing how to speak properly and it comes down to the influence of social media though.

[00:03:14]You know what a lot of people do do is use voice messaging. Um you and I voice memo sometimes Caleb >> because you want to voice memo. I would I would you respond?

[00:03:25]>> I know because I kind of feel guilty if I don't. BUT BUT IT'S THAT'S AN OFFENSE.

[00:03:29]Is that No, no. But >> I voice messaged you and you feel obliged to reply to me.

[00:03:34]>> Yeah. But if you want to text, then we'll text. If you want to talk, pick up the phone to call me.

[00:03:39]>> Why would you prefer a voice memo to an actual >> I like I love voice me. My friends and I will always voice message because it's if I need to tell them something quick, it's just it's a woman thing. It's just easier to send a voice >> because the only other person I know who does the same thing is also a woman and she sends me voice messages. Yeah. But why are you sending me voice messages?

[00:04:00]>> Yeah. No, I think when you have to debrief with your girlfriends, you send a voice message to to and from with each other. So I don't do that. But but I do like I do find like James with you for example, I do know >> we talking about the news or are we just getting personal things?

[00:04:18]>> No, no. I I'm trying to make a point.

[00:04:20]It's true. you when we when I send you a text, >> I know that I have to have my phone near me at all times because I know that you will immediately call me straight away, which is fine. I'm not complaining about that. What's your strategy? No, the question I'm asking is >> why do you prefer a phone call over the over a quick back and forth on text?

[00:04:42]>> Okay, a couple of things. Firstly, it depends where I am. If I'm going to text you on my phone, >> that takes forever. Maybe it's just cuz my thumb's I think that's like a a boomer thing.

[00:04:53]>> I thought you person I'm pretty sure James is Gen X. He's not a boomer.

[00:04:59]>> Yeah, I'm I'm Gen X. On the other hand, uh if I'm sitting on my laptop and texting via what's that? IME messaging or whatever.

[00:05:07]>> Yeah. Yeah. On on your Mac.

[00:05:08]>> Oh, on your Mac. Yeah.

[00:05:09]>> Yeah. I'm I'm happy to text if I'm on my laptop because then I can type and it's quick. But if I'm texting on my phone, that's laborious. So, I'd rather just dial your number and talk to you in person. No, no. I'm I I enjoy >> I would have thought it was polite to call you.

[00:05:21]>> No, no, no. I'm not. I just I'm just curious that that you Yeah, you do pick up the phone in the first instance.

[00:05:27]>> My kids, on the other hand, they much prefer texting than if I call them. And I think it's because they're always doing something and they see a phone call as interrupting whatever it is that they're doing. Whereas a text, they can reply immediately or they can reply a minute later and they prefer the flexibility of that. The other thing is the Do people not drive though? Cuz I >> voice on your phone. Hi Siri. You can Siri.

[00:05:52]>> I know. I know. But when you're in the car, it's the perfect time to make phone calls cuz it's otherwise dead time, right? So if you got to get stuff done, get it done while you're in the car, while you're driving to and from work or whatever it is. Like it is the prime time to actually knock some stuff over if it involves a phone call. And the one that really annoys me is uh all these businesses now want you to use like a live chat thing online if you want to get anything done. I don't want a live chat. I want to pick up the phone and talk to someone because sometimes there are things that need to be explained.

[00:06:24]And it's a bit hard to explain in a message what you're actually dealing with. Whereas if you've got someone on the phone, you can talk them through it.

[00:06:32]You can get a better answer. That's a good point actually cuz I know there telecommunications companies use this texting line now like Optus and Telra.

[00:06:40]>> Is it a real person or is it a bot?

[00:06:42]>> Uh it's a bot in the first instance and then it connects you to a real person once it's established what your problem is.

[00:06:47]>> Do you ever abuse the bot like let me talk? Why would I do that? Okay. No. Why would I The only other thing about I will say this about text messages is sometimes they get misconstrued. Yes.

[00:06:57]You know I might interpret your tone.

[00:06:59]You might send back to me. Okay. And I'll be like, "Oh, why is he being standoffish?" Yeah. And you know, I was watching actually a >> or or if or or if you're an older male like in the dad sort of territory, >> it's just the thumbs up emoji.

[00:07:15]>> Yes. What is a thumbs up emoji?

[00:07:16]>> All the time it's the thumbs up emoji.

[00:07:18]The other thing the other thing that the that the gen the next generation don't like is a full stop. Have you heard that? because uh they believe that a full stop indicates passive aggressiveness and that you are angry at a person which I just find extraordinary because it's actually just basic grammar but they say do not put a full stop because to me I interpret that as you're angry with me.

[00:07:41]>> Just before we move on from this topic genuine question uh voicemail does anyone use that anymore or or since has texting done away with leaving messages?

[00:07:50]I think texting is better >> for the most part. I I a handful of people would regularly leave me a voicemail and they're all over the age of 60, right? Like I think it's a it's probably a generational thing. I mean, my main problem is I get a text or an email or something or a phone call and I go, I'll get back to that soon and then I just don't get back to it and then I forget about it. And then a couple of days go by and it's like, oh, is it too late now to reply? Like does it seem awkward that >> of course it is too late. Uh, so what?

[00:08:19]Then you've just got to forever forget that you received the phone call or the text message.

[00:08:22]>> Well, it's embarrassing for you, isn't it? If you forget that it's there's too much time that's passed.

[00:08:26]>> I I need a PA is is the >> Oh, cuz you're so busy. You're just the the busiest man on earth. You need a PA, Caleb. I mean, give me a break.

[00:08:34]Seriously, you do not need a PA.

[00:08:36]>> Just a bit forgetful sometimes. That's all.

[00:08:38]>> A P, please. A PA. Okay.