E-mail has not only changed the method by which we talk to each other; it has also changed the attitude with which we communicate - or choose not to.
You expect folks at least to acknowledge a serious communication, but often as not that doesn't happen, not even if you're writing to public employees or customer service people or elected officials.
And how about certain relatives and close friends? Damn.
That it is only e-mail seems to mark its importance. Likely as not, that mark is zero to negative.
Worse, this e-mail syndrome has infiltrated the way we think about communication with strangers, no matter what the subject or the purpose: Impoliteness and inconsideration prevail.
Blow off, bub. I don't know you, I don't care what you think, and anyway it's only e-mail so I don't have to take the time to be civil.
Finally, e-mail gives recipients a perfect excuse for being snotty: They can always blame their spam filters.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
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Not only that--the illiteracy it encourages is fantastic.
ReplyDeleteThe rudeness,rage, whatever we see on message boards and such all the time are similar to the road rage/stupidity we see every day on the road.
Pigs biting off other pigs' tails.
Good point.
ReplyDeleteWell, I've seen some of the opposite online. Since I've gotten into some social groups and other groups online, I've seen an *increase* in civility, more thank-you notes, more pleases and thank-you's than you get in offline life. How many people hand-write thank-you notes and bread-and-butter notes anymore?
ReplyDeleteSo online life has helped me see that offline life has gotten to be lax and should come back up to snuff in the politeness department.
Sure there are rude people online. But there are more (than used to be) rude people offline too (road rage, etc.). So which one affects the other? Who knows?
But I have had both good and bad experiences online, just as I have offline. It's not a black-and-white situation.
BTW, I know you and vice versa on LiveJournal. :-)
Well, obviously you hang with a better on-line crowd than I do - including all my relatives.
ReplyDeleteNow, as for e-mail to corporations or even government employees, do you find them more polite as well? Because that's where I consistenty get blown off.