Reply to All isn't the enemy - it's just symptom of a much bigger problem

I'm just trying to help here.  Seth Godin's rule #4 of electronic mail is fairly simple - DON'T REPLY TO ALL

I think we can all agree with that.  What I'm about to suggest points to, what I believe is, the real problem.

Reply to all is a cough or a sneeze, this is the root issue...this is the rhino virus of electronic mail.  It goes much deeper and starts much earlier than this...

When you write an e-mail to more than three people, you should always blind carbon copy everyone.  This takes the Reply to ALL option out of the hands of hilarious people eager to start a blog or comment war via electronic mail.

There is a lady that replies to one of the teacher's e-mails with links to stuff she sells.  The teacher must get these same e-mails, and yet she continues to include our e-mail address in the notes.  The annoying mom trying to sell Amway isn't the problem, it's the teacher who doesn't conceal our addresses.

It happens with my personal electronic mail every single day.  It happens at work....every single day.

People who understand privacy do it, smart people do it, tall people do it, Libertarian's do it...it's out of control.

So let's help control the mass e-mail population and have your electronic mail spayed or neutered...