Evan Sellinger weighs the social consequences of the collision between technology & etiquette in an information-overloaded world. He says that etiquette norms are not just about efficiency. They’re actually about building thoughtful & pro-social character.
Relationships are fragile, and they require effort to preserve. Shortcuts won’t do; you often have to say more than just the essential facts. Viewing personal communication in overly reductive terms makes tenuous connections even more fragile.