Ignoring emails

I'm finding an increasing tendency amongst people to ignore personal emails.

This is worrying.

It indicates that they believe they can totally ignore another human being in a way that they wouldn't dream of doing elsewhere.

If the same people met another person in the street who then  said something - they wouldn't dream of blanking them out and ignoring them totally.

This is what they are in effect doing by choosing to totally ignore an email.

It takes me less than two seconds to reply to an email and say "Thanks" or even "noted".

By saying nothing it implies that contact with that person doesn't warrant two seconds of their time. Even if you get ten personal emails - which would be very unusual it would only take twenty seconds to reply. Human contacts are far too valuable for this to be the case.

The inconsistantly can be that the person that doesn't reply tells you that they always read what you write - which must take several minutes. I you don't want to receive the emails then have the courage to write "Please don't write to me" -but very few will have the courage to say that and for me saying this would be unforgiveable. 

If one feels that typing "Thanks" would be insincere then one could type "No Thanks" or an equivalent. But what happens, I suspect, is that people haven't the guts to say what they think and instead take the cowardly response of being totally silent. Then, they have learnt, the problem will go away. The trouble is that yes that happens but so does a relationship which has the potential of having a very positive side as well.

One of my immature thirty year old friends (the meaning of this term is that all thirty year olds are immature by definition - something , because of their immaturity they cannot accept!) - who I like very much - gives me the excuse for not replying "Oh well you know I don't reply to lots of people" - no I didn't know and what kind of reasoning is this? It seems that if you do something wrong to lots of people then all of a sudden it becomes right. What a crazy world some of these arrogant people live in!

It seems that being able to cope very well with highly complex lives involving lots of responsibilities involving bringing up children gives them the confidence to believe that they have now reached the pinnacle of maturity so that they can now treat others around them as lesser human beings that are to be respected enough to tell them they are doing something that they don't like.

I believe that all relationships are valuable and that all people have a part of their character that I can like. As a matter of policy I continually keep being positive to others (as well as being critical) as much as I am emotionally capable.

Often one has to protect oneself from other people's anger by drawing away temporarily until that anger has been dealt with/ dissipated - inevitably it's not not directed at you personally but connected with some happening in their past. Relationships then go on hold , sometimes to fade for ever. Others come back much strengthened and step into a much richer and more trusting gear.

So when you get a personal email may I suggest that you take your life in your hands and reply briefly using two or three words so that you show that you recognise that there is another human being at the end of this communication device.

They've just spoken to you in the street - respond as you would there.

Better still move around in public places where you are likely to have these brief face-to-face contacts and do away with email ( and Facebook) altogether.

The sun is out and has been for six hours already - my allotment beckons - how can I live all the lives I attempt and succeed?