Megan West(erby)

"After a while, the unanswered messages start to bleed together—but while the specifics of their content may fade from memory, you remain vaguely conscious of all the people you’re ignoring, all the people who are surely extrapolating from your continued silence that they are not worth your time.

“You’re always reminded, because they are literally in your pocket,” Mr. McGregor said.

"

~

So Sorry To Do This! Flakiness Epidemic Sweeps Digital New York | The New York Observer

Almost every line of this article hits home in one way or another! interweber highlighted the best bits but this struck home in particular since it helped me clarify a personal preference: in the culture of smart phones and fast responses one-line emails without substance or which don’t sufficiently address the purpose of an original email are pointless, disingenuous and annoying. If all you’re looking for is a congrats on responding to something but you’re also clogging my inbox with drivel and not helping me move the plot along then I’m probably not responding to your email just to respond to it and I’m probably frustrated with you.

Taking that extra day or week to properly deal with something eliminates the feeling that social responses are devolving into a game of one-upsmanship. It also makes it easier to live in the moment with that literal reminder in your pocket.

15 September 2010 ·