This is the point I am making - the line of work requires it. I'm talking about business communcation here, not social communication. There is a big different between what is acceptable/normal in each case.
Not for business. It may be the 21st century, but for business, email is the norm. at least, it certainly is for the line of work I'm in. It certainly isn't obsolete. People don't generally use Facebook or Twitter for business communication. I would never use these to communicate with a client/student. My clients are mainly working mums or dads who normally use email for business communication.
That's still an assumption though.
Everyone I know works... I'm the only one that doesnt. They all have steady, important jobs, and I dont mean retail.
None of them use email for anything except my father & stepmother.
MANY lines of work do not use email for anything. Typically those that do use email alot are using it for cooridination purposes (and not all jobs require that this be done). My father & stepmother both use it alot because they're communicating with people across the state and often out of state, and must travel *alot* for work. It makes sense: They arent in a position to constantly speak to associates directly. Everyone else though... even my mother, who helps to manage a school that teaches hair-salon stuff, doesnt really use it. She simply talks to everyone either directly or via the phone if necessary. And that's a management position (one with alot of paperwork, too... sometimes I really wonder how she puts up with the whole thing). Like most I know, she just uses Facebook for basically all ranged communication, and really just with family and friends. She's not tech averse, but she still has no real use for email.
ANYWAY. Again, the reasons arent truly relevant. My point was just to explain not only why it happens sometimes, but why assumptions shouldnt be made. You cant really know what someone else's life is like without directly asking them. And even if you directly ask them, you STILL cant know unless they feel like giving you a true answer (and many wont, unless they feel they know you well enough). On top of that, you cannot assume that simply because your situation is one way, that it means that others will be too. YOUR work requires email, yes. But others, even though they carry a similar status of having a career, may not.
We all have our situations to deal with. With so much crap going on, communication gets stressed or broken at times (even moreso with people you dont know very well). I know it sure does for me, frequently. And it definitely does for others. But making assumptions as to the exact reasons... particularly blanket assumptions, the absolute worst kind... doesnt do anyone any good. There are many, MANY *possible* reasons, and that's important to keep in mind. Who knows what kinds of screwy situations some people may be in? All this stuff about email and tech may be utterly irrelevant in the face of what some people might be going through. No way to know.
And really, sometimes "I was too busy" really does mean exactly that. Yeah, I know, NT society tends to say things OTHER than what they actually mean.... but every now and then, there's someone that's just upfront about it. Rare enough that it's confusing when it happens.
