Arielle Pardes: It's Time to Bring Back the AIM Away Message

Which is that asynchronous messaging is real-time chat now. We are always on. That clear plastic corded phone that dialed-up and signed me on has morphed into the world’s most powerful pocket computer that also happens to make phone calls. Provided we’re in range of cell service or Wi-Fi, we can be reached at literally any time. The dreaded ellipsis—the dot dot dot as someone types a response—has made us captive audiences. We are all walking live chats.

This resonated hard.