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Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,913
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Is Email Outdated?

[ Edited ]

 

(thread title)

 

I still prefer face to face when/where possible. Next involves the use of a telephone, for the purpose for which they were originally invented. E-mail would be my next choice. Texting?

 

The only time I texted, ever, was recently when my wife was in the hospital for her bleeding ulcer emergency. She needed to contact a client of her Pet Sitting business, and was not able to do so herself.

 

 

She asked me if I would text that person(my wife knows my feelings about texting), I said, of course I will, and I did so. That was my first text and I have no intention of doing so again, unless it is in another emergency situation.

 

Yes, I have a cell phone with all the gadgets and wigets, but I will stick with the original purpose the telephone was invented, thank you.

 

 

 

hckynut(john)

hckynut(john)
Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,264
Registered: ‎03-15-2010

@SydneyH wrote:

@Winkk wrote:

I'm rather annoyed with two of my nieces and one nephew.  I don't see them very often but I do try to stay in touch.  Earlier this year I emailed one niece who lives in CA just to see how she was doing - no response.

 

A few months later I email my nephew to give him some information about a childhood friend who passed away - no response.

 

Yesterday I email another niece to check the status of her sister who is moving home and is driving across country - no response.

 

Am I getting no response because people don't read emails anymore?  Is everything text now?  If that is the case I guess I'll never hear from them because I still have a flip phone (which is really hard to text on) and I'm not upgrading because I like my flip phone.  It's just frustrating.


It's not outdated, but you don't know how often they check that particular account.  Next time I would text or use FaceBook Instant Messenger.


@SydneyH -- I have also tried FB and guess what?  No response.  And, they are always posting selfies of themselves so I know they are on it.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,264
Registered: ‎03-15-2010

Thanks all for your input.  At least I know that I'm not the only one with this problem.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,486
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@Winkk wrote:

@Mominohio wrote:

@Sooner wrote:

They are kids.

 

And yes, to them e-mail is outdated.  Kids get busy, are starting their lives and I can understand how they feel.

 

Send them a card once in awhile.  

 

 


 

Sorry, but I won't give them a pass on this one. It is easier today than ever before to stay in touch with people all over the world.

 

People raved about the various ways to now contact people without having to actually connect on the phone ( with the advent of email, facebook, texting) because you aren't bothering people when they are busy, but communicating when you can, and they respond when they are free to do so. 

 

But many of the young people I know are just simply not responding at all. I have seen this with my niece and nephew. No matter how contacted, they very rarely respond. I think they have grown up with this technology and it's inherent disconnect to personal contact, so they simply don't use or don't have the social skills and manners that many of us were taught before this technology took over as a major method of communication. 

 

This seems 'normal' or acceptable to them, when in fact, it isn't. In the old days, returning a phone call to granny or aunty was expensive and you were stuck hearing about their ailments, the cat, etc. and being tied up in a long conversation. Not so today. Quick answers and being polite is so easy with modern communication. 

 

I get tired of the 'We're so busy' mantra. Fix it. 


@Mominohio - I totally agree. 


They apparently don't want to communicate.  I don't think you can make them.  That was my point.  They are kids--they have their own lives, and I don't think you can force them to respond. They live in a different time and age, and aren't going to play by the rules of the past.   

Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,486
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@Winkk wrote:

@Sooner wrote:

Well, I'd guess that in today's fast paced world young people don't have time to respond to the old folks.  They are young, busy and involved.  I can't put too much blame on them. . . it is a different world they live in.

 

If you want to stay in touch with them, use the methods they use to communicate, and don't get huffy if  you don't hear from them.  The alternative is to write it off and quit trying to stay in touch.   You can't make them respond.  


Well, I am old, busy and involved and I'm living in the same world they are.  Is being annoyed the same as being huffy?? 


Well, I would say so. . . but that's just me!  LOL!!!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,195
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Maybe it is outdated, I don't know.  Personally, that's what I do.  It's either that or the phone or the mail.  

 

I don't pretend to be all about the current thing.  I have told the young people in my family that I don't have a current cell phone -- mine is as old as the hills -- and you can't even text on it or take pictures.  It doesn't bother me as I rarely use the thing any way.  

 

I have told them, it's fine and wonderful if you like all those things, texting, tweeting, skyping, going on Facebook and all the other things which I probably don't even know exist, but when I contact you it will be by my primitive forms of communication.  LOL.  If they don't answer back, then --- whatever!!! I don't feel I should have to go into a big expense of getting a new phone and doing other things which I don't want or need just so it is more convenient for them.  If they wanted to contact me --- they would!!!!! Mostly they don't take the time or want to.  So, that is that.  I do try, and I have told them my situation.  

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." - Steve Martin
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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,170
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Having the same issues. Seems the only email I get these days is from websites wanting to sell me something.  Everyone is texting. And the phone, you can forget that one.  I call and the messages fill up and I cannot even leave a message.  Thinking of trying carrier pidgeons.  Might get their attention.  

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,443
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

It seems that everyone I know, relatives and friends like to keep in touch by texting.  It's easy and everyone I know responses quickly.  If it's something I really need to talk about I would call them but I love texting it seems to work the best for me and my family.  

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,928
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@Winkk wrote:

Thanks all for your input.  At least I know that I'm not the only one with this problem.


@Winkk when it comes time for their birthdays and Christmas, I guess they won't mind if you send them nothing, since they're way too busy to respond to you.

 

That's exactly how I see it.

"That's a great first pancake."
Lady Gaga, to Tony Bennett
Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,189
Registered: ‎01-04-2016

Re: Is Email Outdated?

[ Edited ]

@Winkk wrote:

I'm rather annoyed with two of my nieces and one nephew.  I don't see them very often but I do try to stay in touch.  Earlier this year I emailed one niece who lives in CA just to see how she was doing - no response.

 

A few months later I email my nephew to give him some information about a childhood friend who passed away - no response.

 

Yesterday I email another niece to check the status of her sister who is moving home and is driving across country - no response.

 

Am I getting no response because people don't read emails anymore?  Is everything text now?  If that is the case I guess I'll never hear from them because I still have a flip phone (which is really hard to text on) and I'm not upgrading because I like my flip phone.  It's just frustrating.


I use about 5 different email addresses from my laptop but only 1 email address from my smartphone as I don't want all the spam and advertisements coming through that as well.  You need to ask your nieces and nephew what email address they are using on their phones and explain to them that it is not easy to text them from your older style flip phone and that you are trying to email them from your computer.  

 

I prefer texting any day of the week and so does everyone else I know and my phone sometimes beeps constantly day and night letting me know a new text just came in -- I certainly don't want additional alerts for incoming emails much less multiple addresses coming in one from my Aunt Sally, my cousin Roy, my mom or my business colleagues.

 

@Winkk