When an email comes in and you read it or just open it just for a second, its label turns from ‘unread’ to ‘read’ and the entire line from bold into, well not bold. In our scheme of bold being equal to ‘new’, ‘exciting’, ‘interesting’, maybe ‘threatening’ this email turns to ‘old’, ‘boring’ and ‘unalarming’.

Even if we have enough willpower to not read every single incoming email, we can still hardly resist opening new ones as soon as we open our email programs. Especially when the subject line is promising or too general to be sure.

It is like having someone ringing the doorbell. For friends and family we readily open the door, and for strangers, we peak at least through the curtains wondering what they may want. (more…)