Your cart is currently empty!
Is Email Just for ‘Older Folks’?
Last week, I was driving my 12-year-old, Mia, to what felt like her millionth dance class of the day while trying to leave a voicemail for my friend. Because, you know, multitasking is my superpower. “Hey, it’s me. Just saw your email. Call me.” I hung up—it was quick and to the point.
Then, from the backseat, Mia burst into laughter. “What?” I adjusted the rearview mirror to see her better, but all I could see was her focused on her phone. Probably scrolling through some group chat with her friends or watching the latest TikTok. “Ugh, Mom!” she exclaimed, finally looking up at me. “Only old people use email.”
And just like that, I felt like I was suddenly ancient.
I can still vividly recall setting up my first email account back in 1994, right after graduating from journalism school. It felt revolutionary! We were all so excited to send and receive messages from colleagues and a handful of friends who had managed to get email addresses. We used it to joke around, discuss the latest Melrose Place episode, and plan after-work outings. Email was the lifeblood of communication. If a workplace didn’t have it, you were basically living in the Stone Age.
Fast forward to now, and my love affair with email has soured. After years of signing up for every newsletter and promotion, my inbox is a chaotic mess of over 10,000 unread emails—full of spam, updates I couldn’t care less about, and reminders for events I have no intention of attending. Sifting through that clutter just to find one important message is more of a chore than anything else, and I have to force myself to do it daily. Open inbox, scroll, sigh, close.
I’m not alone in this sentiment. An article by Alex Turner in Inc. predicts that email might soon be a thing of the past. “Businesses are already shifting away from email as a primary communication method,” he notes. “We have so many alternatives now—texting, DMs on social media, and quick notes on platforms like Facebook.” He goes on to explain how email has become a time sink, with discussions splintering into confusing threads and spam filters working overtime. By 2020, he believes we’ll find a more efficient way to communicate digitally.
Could that “more efficient” system be led by our kids? At 12 and 9, Mia and her brother Noah have already figured out that texting or using Snapchat is the quickest way to reach someone. This trend is creeping into workplaces, too, with many companies opting for streamlined communication tools like Slack and Campfire. Is this the future? Are we clinging to email simply because we’ve always used it? Or is it because we’re now “older” and resistant to change?
When my kids were born, I eagerly set them up with Gmail accounts using their first and middle names. I thought I was so clever! Now, I can’t help but wonder if they’ll ever actually use them.
If you’re interested in more insights on navigating parenthood, check out this post on home insemination at this link and for useful resources, visit this page. You can also learn about home insemination kits at this website.
In summary, as technology evolves, so do our methods of communication. While email was once groundbreaking, it seems to be losing its appeal, especially among the younger generation. It’s worth considering whether we’re merely holding on to email out of habit or if we’re ready to embrace new ways of connecting.