Email sucks

The original title, The Toxic Nature of Email, might have flown better - at least, the post deserved to.

Observations: comparison with descriptions, from before 1970 or so, where executives dictate their mail to secretaries, brings two things to mind. First, that sheer physical bulk makes obvious that 200 pieces of mail is an insane amount. The dematerialization afforded by computers masks that.

Second, that the modern "do-it-yourself" culture is counterproductive. Anyone (highly paid) who gets 200 pieces of mail per day needs help that can judge what really calls for attention, and deal with the rest.