[Air-l] e-mail destroying friendships?

[Nancy Baym]

Charles  ponders whether email is destroying friendships...


Sounds to me like politics are destroying friendships. Is there 
anything radically different in the scenario Charles poses than a 
person who raises politics at a party, leading to disagreement, 
perhaps vehement, and no more party invitations for some of the 
arguers? Face-to-face communication is clearly the biggest threat to 
relational survival there is -- almost every relationship that ever 
gets started ultimately falls apart via f2f communication. But we 
don't even think to blame face-to-face interaction for their 
downfall. As an interpersonal communication teacher, I have yet to be 
convinced there is anything profoundly different about email's role 
in relationships. Communication builds friendships. Communication 
destroys friendships. Email is a communication medium. Why wouldn't 
email destroy friendships as well as help build them?

Nancy

-- 
Nancy Baym	http://www.ku.edu/home/nbaym
Communication Studies, University of Kansas
102 Bailey Hall, 1440 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
Association of Internet Researchers: http://aoir.org