Is Email still relevant ??
Few days back, I saw this kid (probably around 16) at the library. I know him for a long time, but never had a chance to have a casual chitchat.
I asked him, “Did you get the email regarding social events?”
It was a random question with no intention of knowing his participation in collective activities.
He replied, “I don’t check my email.”
This unexpected reply stunned me for a moment. I continued my questioning, “Then what you do on your smart phone?”
He replied, “Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Watsapp…”
This made me more curious, I asked, “Okay, then why not email?”
He replied, “Guys of my age or under, don’t use email. It is way quicker and easier for me to connect to my friends using these apps.”
I was wondering, It’s just me or people are getting weirder or maybe these “smart” devices, making people dumb orshould I simplify this and call it a “generation gap” as I am too old school now. I still remember those days, when I used to write emails to my friends who moved to distant places. Email was the only connection between us and of course phone. Use of Instant messengers like MSN or AOL (probably many people don’t even remember AOL) were limited. My dad used to dictate me long emails that he wanted to send to his friends in another country. Despite of these memories and thoughts, part of me started to believe that he may be right and these social apps are becoming alternate to the email. It may be difficult for a person like me to accept this theory that emails are becoming a secondary way for communication and these social media apps are now being used in place.
Things don’t always stay the same. If one observes, in today’s world, the main sources of communication are these apps not emailing. Adaptation to these changes might be challenging for many people. They always try to stick with the things that they are familiar with and can use with ease and maybe I am one of them. Think of a time, when it was challenging to convince someone, who is used to write letters and wait for the reply, that “email” will replace “postal mail” for personal communication or a device that will bring the whole world information into your hand. Assuredly it’s time to look ahead and start adapting these social media tools as your primary source of communication. As in near future “email” may become obsolete.
