Going Postal

From the Dean at Boston University:

My secretary forward to me your message. Frankly, I am surprised by your response that you never check your mail…. if you continue your practice of not checking your mail, you may one day be surprised to learn that your credit is ruined (because you failed to pay a bill), you are unable to graduate (because you failed to settle your account with the University), or you are even subject to arrest (because you failed to respond to a summons). It would be a much wiser practice to check your mailbox on a regular basis…

The fact of the matter is that polite society communicates by letter (as does most of government, businesses, and cultural institutions). I can only assume that you have no interest in becoming a member of polite society. This is a shame for your academic record suggests that you have the intelligence to contribute to it in significant ways. Your failure to play by its rules, however, will make it very difficult for you to be consequential in the world in which we live.” - Professor C E Klafter, Assistant to the President

Response from me:

I don’t think I have a duty to check my mail every single day, or at all. I don’t pick up my phone every time it rings either, is that ok with you? I don’t remember ever signing a contract with the US postal system requiring me to even have an address never mind check mail on a regular basis. Frankly I would be surprised if the mail system even exists in 20 years aside from package delivery.