I’ve figured out why I don’t like telephones. It is the worst of all possible worlds.
With face-to-face conversation, anything you say can, and will, be used immediately against you. It is very easy to say the wrong thing. Fortunately you also have visual clues and can convey more information and feeling.
With email, and instant messaging, there is no facial expressions to give an idea of the context of what is being communicated. But you have the chance to look at what you’ve written and can delete it if it looks inappropriate; Before it actually leaves the computer.
Telephones allow none of that. No facial expressions, and instant foot in mouth.