While there are a myriad of possible ways to send someone a text message, the SMS, the original text messenger, is still around and kicking. In 2010, there were over 6.1 trillion text messages sent, which translates to 193,000 SMS per second (SMSPS, if you will.) Despite the popularity of WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Discord, and an ocean of other alternatives, a decade later, there are still around 270,000 texts being sent every second.

In terms of sheer numbers, the most common message is “I love you,” followed by “I will be home later,” which possibly is an answer to the third most common message, “Where are you?” It’s pretty easy to see how sending just one of these to the wrong person can create a chain of chaos commonly found in a middling sitcom. 

Alongside good old SMS, you have the various instant messaging (IM) apps out on the market. In 2022, the largest was WhatsApp, at around two billion users, followed by Facebook Messenger, at 1.3. In China, WeChat has a respectable 1.2 billion users, while the runner-up, Telegram, sits at 700 million. Between all of these and the host of other options, there are millions of ways a person can accidentally (or purposefully) send something pretty cursed. 

Part of the unease that texts can create stems from the fact that they naturally obfuscate the writer's emotions, tone, and intent. Seeing “we need to talk” might send shivers down your spine, although the good news is that most people have used text messages long enough to know that this sort of ambiguity is unwise. However, it is a great way to make someone uncomfortable. 

Intentionally misspelled words or weird punctuation can be another way to create confusion and unease, all while maintaining plausible deniability. Less confident people sometimes attempt the “pretending to send a text to the wrong person” as a way to start a conversation, although this is no longer really possible as in most cases, one will be texting a social media profile with a name, not just a phone number.

On the other hand, it can be pretty confusing to receive an unintended text message. In most cases, it’s pretty straightforward, as the majority of the population isn’t texting esoteric instructions or compromising information freely, but every once in a while, a spectacular mix-up happens, that results in the hilarity you can see here. 

In other cases, we can see a clear clash of generations, as older folks often don’t quite follow the tonal indicators that younger people look out for. This creates multiple layers of hilarity, as meanings and intent fly over both parties' heads, creating an inane set of messages. Add in images, links, and emojis, and you have a potent party on your hands, as most people in large family group chats can attest to. 

The politics of a larger group chat are likely to be studied by future anthropologists. Different combinations of people end up creating unique ecosystems within the app of choice. For example, the larger friend group chat, with smaller ones excluding a handful of members. Or an all-inclusive family group chat where a select few don’t know that they aren’t included in the “real” family group. 

Another side effect of these self-contained bubbles of communication is the inside jokes, memes, and phrases that emerge. While not strictly an idiolect, as individual adherence might vary, it can be jarring as an outsider to see just how a long-established group communicates internally. 

On the other end of the communication spectrum, text messages are also a good, live test of just how well (or poorly) a person interacts with technology. From typos to thinking a messenger is the same as a Google search, the internet is full of the misfortunes of the less-technically-savvy, now saved, recorded, and immortalized for all to see. 

For some reason, certain people seem to continue to make the exact same mistakes, sending the same texts, “searching” the same terms on their Facebook feeds for all to see, or just texting aggressively, in the, generally, misguided hope that their strategy works out. The silver lining for the rest of us is a good chuckle and perhaps the enjoyment of these bewildering text messages. And if this list leaves you wanting more, Bored Panda has got you covered, check out our other article on this topic here.