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When / why / how did "I hope you are well" become a standard email intro? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 6 months ago by oxjox@lemmy.ml to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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Practically every email I've received in maybe the past year has started with "I hope you are well". I even had an LLM draft a placeholder email for me and it started with the same thing. This has not always been the case and it's strange to me that everyone I interact with begins their emails with this line. Frankly, it's annoying AF.

What gives? Who started this? Why has it become so prevalent? More importantly, how do we stop it?

While I'm at it, if you work in tech / customer support, I urge you to speak with your supervisors to minimize the boiler plate copy paste trash you insert into your emails. People dealing with shit that's not working as intended or desired do not have the mental or emotional capacity to wade through your platitudinal nonsense. Get to the fucking point.

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[–] wuphysics87@lemmy.ml 3 points 6 months ago (3 children)

I always wonder what this means. Does it mean "I hope this letter does a good job finding you, and you can subsequently read it" or does it mean "When this does find you, I hope it recognizes you are having a good day".

Stock boiler plate regardless and one of the best ways to convince the recipient you are a twat.

[–] user224@lemmy.sdf.org 10 points 6 months ago

Neither. The recipient needs more water, and the letter may or may not find them a well to get water from.

[–] solitaire@infosec.pub 6 points 6 months ago

Imagine a time before instant communications, where you have no idea how life has treated the recipient since you last saw them and it might take months for your letter to arrive. It is a sincere hope that they are well and that tradgedy has not befallen them.

It would be neurotic and unreasonable if your last update on their life was only days or even hours before, but in the days of letters hope is really all you had. It's just honest.

[–] criitz@reddthat.com 4 points 6 months ago

It just means you hope the recipient is well.