[scl67]

Quite literally subjectively, not objectively.

Some % of communication is non-verbal. Tone, expression, gesture. If the author of this article struggles with direct communication, it's likely because they don't (or can't) pay the necessary attention to these. So, for them text may be preferable. But most people aren't raw information processors.

I'm sure that's why emojis have become so widely embraced - it's easier to indicate tone with a picture than with text.