Blue Tick

Communication is so fickle nowadays. Filled with nuance.

Think WhatsApp.

Some people on WhatsApp don’t have their “last seen” available. Which means the only time you can know if they have been on the app is when they are online. Otherwise, you’ll be left assuming they’ve never logged in.

Then there’s the ticks. An effective tool. I WOULD like to know if someone has received my message, and additionally, if they’ve read it.

Some people have disabled their blue ticks feature which might make you think that the message was received on their side, but they haven’t read it yet.

Sometimes you feel offended when you send someone a message that has not been replied to yet you can see from their “last seen” that they were recently on the platform.

Sometimes you get frustrated when you see that your message has been received yet it has not been opened. It’s like your message is simply clutter in their inbox.

Sometimes you get offended when someone does open your message, and then proceeds to “blue tick” you. Which means that they have read your message, but do not feel it is worth replying to.

Then again, silence is an answer too.

That’s why I do not mind “blue ticks”. Blue tick me all you want. At least I know that you have received my message.

The other one where someone does not even open your message. Now that’s just cold. I’ll be honest, I have been guilty of doing that in the past. No longer. It’s a shitty habit. If you feel like you have nothing to say, or that the conversation is on its deathbed, you might as well just bluetick the individual or send them some simple emoji like a thumbs up. Something to officially murder the conversation.

As for the “last seen”, I did hide mine some years back. No more. I do not see the need. I am entirely comfortable with you seeing when I was last on the platform, whether or not I’ve replied to your text.