Prepare yourselves for a revolution.

Just like Gandhi led his fellow citizens to independence, journalism professor Kim Smith intends to lead the masses to a serendipitous world where humans talk to one another face to face, as opposed to screen to screen – at least that’s the comparison he likes to make.

In a movement he dubbed “Wipe Out E-mail,” Smith hopes this revolution will accomplish just that: rid his life (and perhaps others’ lives, as well) of e-mail. In an announcement made to the faculty, Smith made official the fact that he will not use e-mail after Dec. 31.

His reasons for this dramatic change are simple – e-mail adds more stress than convenience.

Smith said e-mail may be convenient for quick, routine conversations, but it has largely replaced important aspects of interpersonal communication.

“I think that anything that requires an exchange of ideas is much better done in person,” Smith said. “And if you can’t manage that, do it at least on the telephone.”

Smith said he thinks people often use e-mail when they’re hesitant to say something in person as a way to avoid an immediate reaction.

“We’re overusing it, and we’re using it for the wrong reasons,” he said.

Smith, who said he receives hundreds of “meaningless” e-mails a day, already started on his reduction of the “rudimentary method” of communication.

In his syllabi for this semester, he indicated that e-mail was only acceptable for routine matters. This rule cut down on his e-mails and resulted in more student visits to his office; he said he is “happy to talk to them.”

Although students must comply (willingly or not) with Smith’s communication preferences, none have come proponents of his movement. For now, Smith said he has only one follower, who reportedly is “ashamed” and wanted his identity kept confidential.

Smith isn’t intimidated by the slow growth of his support base.

“When [Gandhi] was starting the movement for freedom, he also started out with only one person,” Smith said.

However, a substantial number of people oppose the movement.

One opponent, Erin Wilgenbusch, lecturer in journalism and communication, has frequent, “friendly” disagreements about it.

“I’m not saying e-mail is a good thing; it certainly takes out the human factor of going and visiting and making contact,” Wilgenbusch said. “But for myself, it’s really convenient.”

In addition to the sheer convenience of e-mail, Wilgenbusch said Smith’s move to rid himself of it is really quite inconvenient for his students and co-workers.

“I would tend to say it’s arrogant to expect somebody should bow to your method of communication, when the other way is the commonly used method,” she said.

Wilgenbusch insisted the disagreement friendly.

“I’m jealous he has the guts to do it,” she said.