With the advent of email and Facebook and jillions of other device and services does e-greeting someone have the same effect as a face to face interaction? This question could be asked broadly of any type of interaction whether business or otherwise.
Are greetors now hiding behind the technology curtain and pretending to offer their congratulations and commiserations or feelings of joy and despair to the greetee?
What began as Hallmark innovation (writing some so called poignant quotes and verses in a sharp looking paper stock with a stock image of a lord or piece of jewelery or a nature moment) to reach people and therefore temporarily boost the share prices of the card maker, the postal service, and allied industry has now gone fully electronic.
I am not sure of this ritualistic tradition myself. Perhaps I am an outlier. But when you get right down to it what is going on?
This Diwali season was no different as I saw emails from people that once were in my close social circle and therefore highly relevant but have now moved to remote corners of the planet. That on no other occasion in the past year these individuals interface electronically or otherwise but made a very percise appearance with the constellations indicating the advent of Diwali is a mystery.
Part of the 'message for free' paradigm comes to us courtesy of technology allowing electrons to be moved around freely in huge volumes. People also tend to not be good at housekeeping and maintain large rosters of lists in their rolodexes which get a workout on dates and events near and dear to the rolodex owners' heart. Hence the email blitz.
At such junctures prepare for the inevitable (what in most case is meaningless) onslaught of email that mimics junk mail in its relevance (or lack thereof). How a Bhagvad Gita quote or Swami Vivekananda posit on matters relating to decency or life become relevant to someone as to be sent as an email during OCT is beyond me. My personal fortunes may have dwindled and I may be an alcoholic or have resorted to robbing banks or worse subscribed to Scientology so this compressed thesis that someone wanted me to read (I assume they did otherwise why send it) may mean nothing. So why the premature ejaculation of your perceived wisdom and point of view on the unsuspecting receiver? True you may have been very close friends but are not anymore - you do not even know my zip code or what I like to drink in the morning?
Similar wanderings can be found on my view of the whole Happy New Year paradigm that has been publicized by the denizens. Prehaps I should email these rants to all in my rolodex (if I can find it).
Are greetors now hiding behind the technology curtain and pretending to offer their congratulations and commiserations or feelings of joy and despair to the greetee?
What began as Hallmark innovation (writing some so called poignant quotes and verses in a sharp looking paper stock with a stock image of a lord or piece of jewelery or a nature moment) to reach people and therefore temporarily boost the share prices of the card maker, the postal service, and allied industry has now gone fully electronic.
I am not sure of this ritualistic tradition myself. Perhaps I am an outlier. But when you get right down to it what is going on?
This Diwali season was no different as I saw emails from people that once were in my close social circle and therefore highly relevant but have now moved to remote corners of the planet. That on no other occasion in the past year these individuals interface electronically or otherwise but made a very percise appearance with the constellations indicating the advent of Diwali is a mystery.
Part of the 'message for free' paradigm comes to us courtesy of technology allowing electrons to be moved around freely in huge volumes. People also tend to not be good at housekeeping and maintain large rosters of lists in their rolodexes which get a workout on dates and events near and dear to the rolodex owners' heart. Hence the email blitz.
At such junctures prepare for the inevitable (what in most case is meaningless) onslaught of email that mimics junk mail in its relevance (or lack thereof). How a Bhagvad Gita quote or Swami Vivekananda posit on matters relating to decency or life become relevant to someone as to be sent as an email during OCT is beyond me. My personal fortunes may have dwindled and I may be an alcoholic or have resorted to robbing banks or worse subscribed to Scientology so this compressed thesis that someone wanted me to read (I assume they did otherwise why send it) may mean nothing. So why the premature ejaculation of your perceived wisdom and point of view on the unsuspecting receiver? True you may have been very close friends but are not anymore - you do not even know my zip code or what I like to drink in the morning?
Similar wanderings can be found on my view of the whole Happy New Year paradigm that has been publicized by the denizens. Prehaps I should email these rants to all in my rolodex (if I can find it).
Happy ranting!How's that for an innovative greeting/wish?
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