E-mail is hip, happening, and beloved.

RECLAIM YOUR INBOX

Do people still send out family newsletters? Letting others know about the activities their kids are involved in, or sharing photos and videos of their vacations? There was a moment when email was the preferred way of communicating, but it has rapidly been de-prioritized.

Most people view email as a junk mail receptacle, daunted by the sheer number of daily emails that are left unread in their inbox. I, like many others, have multiple emails that I use for varied purposes; I adjust the frequency of newsletters, doggedly click unsubscribe, and delete daily to control the flow of information. I am proud of my digital de-junking. I marshal my various emails to the frontlines of the digital world: one email, encrypted, for financial information, another for services that are linked to my physical address—to maintain privacy and security. But do we keep an alcove for correspondence we want to encounter? Are there emails we want to read anymore? Or is the inbox more like a net cast into the digital waters that brings back life of any kind, giving us something to sort through in hopes that we have caught something of value?

I feel email is still useful to the casual joe attempting to communicate with people without giving them a direct line into your life, like by sharing a phone number, or requiring both parties to be active on a social media platform. It serves as that link between us all, as it is nigh impossible to exist today without having at least one inbox you check. I have a goal to communicate with friends and family more, and an effective way to keep folks in the loop is a newsletter. Most of us get these in the form of advertising from a brand or a notice of new services from our bank, but I want to revitalize this form of status update. Social media, as it has grown, has become a place to sell you a product, lifestyle, or opinion, and de-prioritized the people we know. As we get older and our webs expand and move, resulting in us often losing the ability to ensnare what we desire. Here lies my case for the value of email.

I do not want to text someone, as that implies the need for a response and a rapid one at that. I really do not see the value in spending my time on social media, engaging in mindless consumption, seeking a dopamine hit. I want to send out an update to those who are interested, and if they want to reply, great! If they just want to read it and understand that I value them being included in my life, fantastic! I am looking to slow down life a bit while deepening connection, and I believe email can be a key tool in doing so.