[Leica] my thoughts on e-mail

[Jim Brick <jimbrick@photoaccess.com>]

E-mail is a strange form of communications. It spans the globe in
microseconds. There isn't any consciousness or consequences involved. It
really doesn't matter what is said, or how it is worded, folks will put
their own slant on it anyway. They will read whatever they want, between
the lines. Different folks. Different cultures. Different ethics. Different
interpretations. There is no face connected. It is just a bunch of text
appearing on a computer monitor. Innocuous, not Innocuous? Depends upon who
you are. 

You are in a hurry to get to work. You are late for a meeting. So you are
driving a little faster than normal. You take a few opportunities and
slip-in front of other folks (cut them off), when there really wasn't
enough room. A few horns honk, lights flash. But you ignore them and
continue. These are just pieces of metal. No face. After all, I'm right. I
have an important meeting to get to.

You arrive at work, and as you are getting out of your car, one of the
folks you cut-off, pulls into the lot and parks near you. You exchange
glances, but you hurry in to the meeting. There is a face, but it's gone now.

You sit down. Made it!

Then the door opens, and who walks in... the person you cut-off just ten
minutes ago. Now their is a consciousness behind that previous action. It's
no longer a hunk of metal. It's a face. You start having a "hot flash".
This is a very important new client. And now there is a consequence behind
that previous action.

What to do?

Will you do it again?

As soon as there are consequences. As soon as there is a consciousness. As
soon as there is a face. The rules change.

At the LUG meeting with Leica at Photokina. At the LUG meeting here in Palo
Alto. At the other LUG meetings around the globe. Did we talk to each other
in antagonistic terms? Were we rude? Did we argue beyond the point of no
return?

No. Never.

We had consequences, consciousness, and faces. Smiling faces. Happy faces.
Fun faces. We talked and talked, looked at equipment, looked at slides, and
talked some more. We didn't want to leave.

We talked with our mouths, eyes, and gestures. Not with only our fingers,
in total isolation.

We should all think about the possibility of meeting each other. When you
type that next message, imagine having to meet the people you are speaking
to, after you push send.

Sometimes the best message, is no message at all. And sometimes the best
response, is no response at all.

Have a great day all,

Jim

PS... my philosophies are quite often self-realized...