Dear CC, It’s Not You, It’s Me. Actually… It Is You.
– A Satirical Love Letter to Poor Email Etiquette
Ah, email — the corporate confessional, battleground, and cry-for-help medium of our times. A marvel of modern communication, where tone is imagined, urgency is always questionable, and passive-aggressiveness flourishes like a well-watered office plant.
But today, dear reader, we need to talk about one particular etiquette crime that deserves the spotlight:
The misplaced ‘To’ and ‘CC’.
Chapter 1: The Illusion of Inclusion
There I am, minding my own business, when I get that email.
Subject line: “Urgent – Need Action Today”
Body: (full of vague requests and multi-threaded confusion)
To: Someone Else
CC: Me
Ah yes, the CC. That subtle pat on the head. The digital equivalent of saying, “I wanted you to know… but not do.”
If I had a penny for every time someone CC’d me and then wondered three days later why I hadn’t responded, I’d have enough to hire someone else to read my CC’d emails and ignore them properly.
Chapter 2: Why This Matters (Even Though It Feels Petty)
Let me explain using basic psychology and a splash of sarcasm:
Being in ‘To’ means: “Hey, you! You matter. This is for you. Please read, digest, and reply like a responsible adult.”
Being in ‘CC’ means: “Just FYI, I’m covering my back. If this implodes, you can’t say I didn’t include you.”
In essence, when you CC someone but expect action, it’s like whispering instructions to a person wearing noise-canceling headphones and then blaming them for not reacting. You can’t have it both ways. (Well, you can — but not effectively.)
Chapter 3: The Great ‘Reply-All’ Rebellion
Let’s not even begin with the chaos that ensues when someone in CC breaks free and replies-all with thoughts no one asked for. Suddenly the group thread becomes a soap opera — plot twists, surprise character arcs, and everyone silently judging in their cubicles.
Chapter 4: Fixing It Before Outlook Gains Sentience
So here’s a handy cheat sheet to fix what generations of corporate communication forgot:
Need action or response? Put them in TO.
Just sharing info or CYA-ing? CC away.
Want to confuse everyone and look like a rookie? Mix them up wildly.
Final Words (That You Should Actually Read)
Let’s make a pact, dear corporate citizens. A world where:
We ‘TO’ people we want to hear from.
We ‘CC’ those who just need popcorn and context.
We respect the inbox like we respect meeting room bookings (…oh wait).
And if you ever find yourself wondering why someone didn’t reply to your email — just scroll up and check where their name landed.
Because, after all, if you want my voice, don’t put me in the audience and if you are not sure if my voice is needed in this context, please check on it first before you send out the mail.
#EmailEtiquette #CorporateSatire #WorkplaceHumor #InboxWars #CommunicationMatters #TOvsCC
