Why do some men not respond to emails?

[PeppermintPatty]

Does it matter?

Why so defensive?
Yes it DOES matter.

 

[debodun]

No, it doesn't involve my car, it just people I know.

 

[Nathan]

Because most males regard communications different than most females. Many may feel the email doesn't require a response. Received...read...end of story.

Not seeing this as a gender related behavior, I have a female friend that I recently texted with a cash offer for a vehicle she has. It's been 2 weeks, still haven't heard from her. I know she received and read the text, but the term "ghosting" comes to mind, so I fed it to Google's AI and get:

Why People Ghost and Its Effects
People often ghost to avoid dealing with uncomfortable emotions, conflict, or to minimize confrontation, rather than out of malicious intent. However, this behavior can trigger anxiety, self-doubt, and a feeling of being "disposable" in the person on the receiving end.

 

[Murrmurr]

Does it matter?

It does.

A man would be very comfortable responding to an email about car problems, but would probably be a bit muddled by and hesitant to respond to an email about, say, a BBQ dinner for charity, for example.

 

[Murrmurr]

No, it doesn't involve my car, it just people I know.

Oh.

 

[Buckeye]

I can't remember the last time I received a "personal", non-business, non-spam email. Most folks would send a text message or a message thru FB to contact me. I do check all 3 of my email accounts every day just to keep them from blowing up with spam, but usually not anything to respond to.

 

[horseless carriage]

E-mail just goes over my head, never bothered with it. I had to have an e-mail to post on this forum, the fellow who looks after our techy stuff set it up along with an on screen icon.

Having written, that's hand written, letters and correspondence all my life, it's a bit late to change now. One thing about hand written letters, they never fail to get a response, although it's usually a text message or phone call, not a hand written reply. Businesses reply, typed ofcourse, and often with a complimentary comment about receiving a hand written letter.

 

[Naturally]

Maybe they have you blocked?

 

[MACKTEXAS]

Maybe try a text instead. It seems folks these days seem more willing to text than type emails. That is the case with my son in law.

I agree, but unless something has changed, she posted awhile back she doesn't have a cell phone.

 

[Della]

My brother refuses to use e-mails and just says he occasionally "PF4's" the whole thing. Which shows you how long he's been doing it. I on the other hand refuse to text because I can't seem to hit the numbers the right number of times to make the letter I want. How does anyone stand that? So we talk on the phone once a month after his sainted wife tells him to call his sister.

 

[MarciKS]

My brother refuses to use e-mails and just says he occasionally "PF4's" the whole thing. Which shows you how long he's been doing it. I on the other hand refuse to text because I can't seem to hit the numbers the right number of times to make the letter I want. How does anyone stand that? So we talk on the phone once a month after his sainted wife tells him to call his sister.

Do you have a flip phone? There's a keyboard on my smart phone and I just discovered I could make the keyboard bigger so it's easier for me.

 

[Lara]

Why do some men not respond to emails?​

Men don't generally like "girl talk" or typing back and forth conversation much. I just keep it short. They love humor. Don't we all. Forget gossip (that never feels good). I don't talk about shopping either (I don't like it).

I engage in what they they like (and I like)...inventions, the future, games that improve memory, movies, tv, travel, pets, hobbies, Art, cooking, music, gardening, kids and grandkids, hikes, personal achievements, and such.

 

[hollydolly]

My brother refuses to use e-mails and just says he occasionally "PF4's" the whole thing. Which shows you how long he's been doing it. I on the other hand refuse to text because I can't seem to hit the numbers the right number of times to make the letter I want. How does anyone stand that? So we talk on the phone once a month after his sainted wife tells him to call his sister.

use whatsApp... and download it to your phone, and computer...It's far easier texting on whatsApp from your computer keyboard... I use my computer for texting always , never my phone

 

[hollydolly]

I must be in the minority from reading most people's responses. I get a lot of emails as well as Texts.. . every day... and 75 % of it is NOT spam. In fact all my spam goes straight into my junk folder.. just very rarely one will get into my primary email...
I have to check my inboxes twice or more a day

 

[Rossana]

@Lara I agree with that.
My husband checks its emails several times a day. (I do too.) It is out of habit from his working days. I find that some people definitely prefer to text and enjoy short messages better.

 

[Rossana]

I must be in the minority from reading most people's responses. I get a lot of emails as well as Texts.. . every day... and 75 % of it is NOT spam. In fact all my spam goes straight into my junk folder.. just very rarely one will get into my primary email...
I have to check my inboxes twice or more a day

Same here!

 

[Rich]

It would help if they said something, then I know they received and understood my message. Recently I had occasion to email 2 male acquaintances and received no response to either. The latter hardly ever responds, but I am at a loss to explain the former.

It's possible with most email systems to send your mail with receipt required, when the email is opened you will be notified. This way, at least you know it was opened.

In Outlook:

1. Compose a new email.
2. Go to Options.
3. Under Tracking, check Request a Delivery Receipt and/or Request a Read Receipt.

In Thunderbird:
Click Write to start a new email.

1. In the menu, select Options → Return Receipts and/or Delivery Status Notification.
2. Send the message.

 

[debodun]

I use Yahoo

 

[Rich]

I use Yahoo

Yahoo doesn't support received or read notifications.

 

[Jules]

It could be because men don’t type well. If they’re our age, they didn’t take typing in school.

Unless there’s a question or an actual follow-up required, I might not answer either.

 

[outlander]

Maybe they just don't like you anymore?

 

[Della]

Do you have a flip phone? There's a keyboard on my smart phone and I just discovered I could make the keyboard bigger so it's easier for me.

Yes I have a flip phone. I'm going to try Holly's WhatsApp thing.

The person who texts me all the time is a man, good friend from book club, I give him rides since cancer messed up his vision. He gets started on our book of the month and wants to discuss it chapter by chapter. He texts, I answer via e-mail, it gets crazy. I know he'd appreciate it if I learned to text.

 

[Nathan]

use whatsApp... and download it to your phone, and computer...It's far easier texting on whatsApp from your computer keyboard... I use my computer for texting always , never my phone

I should check out whatsApp one of these days, probably would have already, if I felt it useful. As an Android user I am deep into Google's services, as such I've found Google messages for Web to be very handy. After a simple pairing the phone with a computer's web browser I can use keyboard, mouse and transfer files sooo much easier than on a phone. Typing on a phone- who came up with that bright idea.

 

[hollydolly]

I should check out whatsApp one of these days, probably would have already, if I felt it useful. As an Android user I am deep into Google's services, as such I've found Google messages for Web to be very handy. After a simple pairing the phone with a computer's web browser I can use keyboard, mouse and transfer files sooo much easier than on a phone. Typing on a phone- who came up with that bright idea.

typing on the phone would be so much easier if the buttons were bigger..but they're so tiny, it just turns into a frustrating misspelled mess for me... so I absolutely would not do without WhatsApp... it's encripted as well .

 

[Magna-Carta]

I think part of the answer may simply be that email isn’t the primary way a lot of people communicate anymore.

Personally, I don’t really use email for friends or acquaintances at all. If I’m expecting a response, I’ll send a text or use something like WhatsApp or Messenger. Even at work, email has largely been replaced by quicker tools like Teams.

When I check my personal email, it’s often full of unread messages—many of which I’ll skim or delete without replying. It’s not that I’m ignoring anyone specifically, it’s more that email no longer feels like a ‘live’ form of communication to me.

I used to write long, thoughtful emails years ago, especially in relationships, and they worked well because they gave time to reflect and respond properly. But day-to-day, that kind of pace just doesn’t seem to fit how most people communicate now.

So it might not be that they’re choosing not to respond -- it could be that email simply isn’t where their attention is. Its certanly not where mine is these days.

I checked my personal email a couple of days ago and had over 200 unread messages. Most I either deleted or skimmed without replying, and only kept a handful for reference. It wasn’t deliberate avoidance -- it just didn’t feel like anything required a response.