Active Now

my2cents
Danilo_G
Element 99
Discussion » Questions » Human Behavior » What kind of news should never be delivered via text or email?

What kind of news should never be delivered via text or email?

Breakups?
Deaths?
Job firings?
???

Posted - March 21, 2017

Responses


  • For 27 years I worked with telegrams -- the predecessor of email. Virtually anything was advised that way and sometimes, in a period when phones were scarce, it was the only way. But it was brutal.

    Anything that is going to cause emotional upset should be done face to face whenever possible.

    The worst case I ever heard of was a woman I worked with. Her fiance had gone to London to work. She was to join him there after six months and that's where they would be married. When she arrived in London she found that he was engaged to somebody else and he didn't have the decency to tell her before she travelled half way around the world.
      March 22, 2017 12:28 AM MDT
    5

  • 7919
    That's terrible! D:
      March 22, 2017 1:17 PM MDT
    1

  • She was a lovely woman, AE: gentle, thoughtful, friendly, happy. Well, happy until that happened. We worked together for a few years after that and although she seemed to get back to normal there wasn't as much laughter in her eyes. And who could wonder about that?
      March 22, 2017 1:27 PM MDT
    0

  • 17261
    Neither of these three mentioned are suited for text messages in my opinion. They are best delivered in person to the receiver of the messages. Hmm.
      March 22, 2017 2:42 AM MDT
    5

  • 6126
    Anything personal that can cause distress, should be delivered in a face to face discussion.  The only thing I can think of that might be given a free pass is a birth announcement to anyone who is not an immediate family member or very close family friend.
      March 22, 2017 6:08 AM MDT
    5

  • 22891
    any of the ones you just listed
      March 22, 2017 10:39 AM MDT
    2

  • " Just got back from the Doctor visit.   Expect it to  burn when you pee next week."
      March 22, 2017 12:23 PM MDT
    4

  • Love it. 
    Then there was the story of the Parisienne who was raped by a German soldier. As he buttoned up he said, "In nine months you will have a fine little boy. You may call him Hans."
    She looked up from the ground where she still lay and said, "And in a few days you're going to break out in a rash. You can call it German measles if you like but that isn't going to help."
      March 22, 2017 1:30 PM MDT
    2