Francois Fourie captures a moment known by too many people, friends sending long voice notes that go on and on without getting to the point.
South Africa (12 January 2026) – Voice notes have become part of everyday communication, but a recent fun video by Francois Fourie has sparked the debate: are they always necessary?
In the clip, Francois jokes about receiving a voice note from a friend. Instead of getting straight to the point, the message is filled with long pauses, mumbled sounds, “ums” and “ahs”, with very little actual information being shared.
This is a familiar experience for most of us. Voice notes are often sent because they’re convenient for the sender, but they don’t always work as well for the person on the receiving end. Sometimes, listening requires more effort than reading a short message that could have delivered the same point in seconds.
The comment section was split of those who are guilty of sending unnecessary voice notes and those who agree that sometimes it’s a waste of time, especially when you’re not getting to the point.
“My bestie sends me 8 minute voice notes every day. I love her, but geez Louise.”
So where do you stand? Are voice notes a convenient way to communicate, or do you also have that one friend whose messages could have been a short text instead?
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Sources: Francois Fourie
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