Is courtesy no longer “in”? Have we lost our humanity in technology? Are we a bunch of uneducated imbeciles? From the majority of e-mails floating around one could easily say this to be true. It is clear that the spammers think we are!

im-buh-sil n.

1. A stupid or silly person; a dolt.
2. A person whose mental acumen is well below par.

From the narcissists who think they don’t have to make any efforts negating any consideration for the other side, to the spammers who jam our inboxes and use our resources without recourse — why has this become acceptable? Because we have allowed it to!

This Pledge is for those who have the voice to stand up for the importance of taking the time to show courtesy, to spell check, to say Hi and Thank You! in e-mails.

To make clear that showing concern for those on the other side by virtue of our actions and words is simply common courtesy.

To support that understanding just enough about how technology works to use it properly is part and parcel of participation. And that to hide behind your screen as an excuse to be lazy or crude will no longer be acceptable.

The goal is not to tell people what to do or hinder free speech as some will immediately assume. The purpose is to ensure the online world does not degrade to the point where we no longer want to participate or make the efforts necessary towards behaving in such a way that allows each and every one of us to grow, learn, enjoy and prosper. Won’t you join us in this noble effort?

Join us by Taking THE E-mail Etiquette Pledge!