The failure mode of “clever”
June 21st, 2010 at 12:24 am ETJohn Scalzi reminds us that the failure mode of “clever” is… “asshole.” There’s no parallel channel carrying nuance when you’re communicating online, and in asynchronous communications like email it’s hard to notice and correct a misalignment on the fly. So… if you don’t know someone well, don’t overreach in your first email communication; just say what you mean.
What’s funny to me about this is that if we’re talking about face-to-face communication, this is just common sense that everybody knows. Somehow online, everything is different, and we have to relearn all those basic lessons. (And I wish I could read the email to Scalzi that set off his semi-rant.)
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Rich Mintz blogs on online fundraising and social media, American history and culture, bicycling and urbanism, food, technology, and other topics. Professionally, he's an expert in fundraising, constituency development, and social media for nonprofits, cultural organizations, cause-related marketers, and corporations. He is based in New York, where he serves as Vice President, Strategy, for 
