Internet Communication and Courteous Behavior – “Miss Manners is needed”

Amber, I mostly write to strangers the last couple of decades, for the Internet Foundation. And for DNA genealogy which I still do. So there is not as much of a personal relationship. My record now is 5.5 years to get a reply, so when I write to any person or group, for any reason, I say to myself, “I might not hear from them for five years or more, or never”.

I read your words, but not completely sure of your experiences. I will mention that I grade websites harshly when they post a contact form, then do not acknowledge they received your comment or question and send a copy of what you wrote. When they do not acknowledge, it is like they are saying “We’re so much more important than you, we can answer or not as we like”. Since these are large organizations, or government agencies. I feel they ought to know better to “close the loop”, “answer courteously and respectfully”. But then I was raised to pray for people, and treat everyone with respect.

These days I never am sure if the Internet is actually working. Lots of broken links and bad business processes. So many sites created almost over night, by young people who just follow instructions to build things. It is not so much they are not courteous, rather they never learned in the first place.

I do think about these things, and the inefficiencies and wasted time at global level where more then 5 Billion humans try to communicate with each other and work together to survive. But so many experiences with thoughtless and careless people and groups, I have more expectation of bad behavior and discourteous behavior, than good or thoughtful.

I filed this as (Internet Communication and Courteous Behavior – “Miss Manners is needed”)

Richard