Postcards from the Funny Farm

So much can be said about the way our minds scientifically bend around electronic mail. Email is impersonal. It is interpreted largely by the receiver and is not determined by the intent of the writer. I know this from personal experience on both ends. I have written emails that people reacted defensively to and I have read emails that made me virtually paranoid! Most of this negative stuff is unnecessary and not intended, that’s why I try to email as little as possible. I prefer to call someone or visit them if I have something important to say. Words on the screen can be taken wrong … it happens every day. If you think people will “get” your email 100%, you are misled. You are better off talking about serious things in person. When you do email though, I recommend making it complimentary and terse. Even if you think you have the perfect novel to email someone, remember you are going to wait in limbo until you hear back … and that is often a lot longer than what is comfortable.

With no inflection of voice or hand gestures, emails fall short of face to face communication. If you have something to share with someone, bear in mind your point might be better made in a medium other than email. It has its place in human affairs but I think our world is only just beginning to understand it. Last, remember that a kind word whether through voice or email can be like a plasma stand giving life energy to another person.