Well, it's an irony of our times -- we carry phones on our bodies at all times, but talking on the telephone is becoming increasingly rare. In the last five years or so, more and more people seem to have given up talking on the phone altogether, in favour of other communication methods such as texting, instant messaging and email. Today, Jian spoke to journalist Pamela Paul about how hearing the phone ring has gone from the norm to an anxiety-provoking event.

We want to know what you think. Have you observed this shift in phone culture? Do you consider out-of-the-blue phone calls intrusive? And do you think the quality of our communication is suffering because of our unwillingness to pick up the phone?