I for one am glad for the flexibility afforded by e-mail ambiguity. In a situation in which one person wants to go out to lunch and the other doesn't, is the be

I for one am glad for the flexibility afforded by e-mail ambiguity. In a situation in which one person wants to go out to lunch and the other doesn't, is the better outcome that the first either confrontationally declines or reluctantly accepts the request? In the art world, the protocol for asking for a show at someone's gallery is that you invite them over to your studio for a "studio visit." The purpose of the visit, to see if they want to give you a show, is known to both parties, but never explicitly stated. If the dealer doesn't want to give you a show, then you just had a nice visit where they gave you some feedback about your work. If they do want a show, obviously there's no problem. But the perils of saying "Can I have a show?" and getting rejected are avoided by the introduction of ambiguity. You don't know anything about why they've rejected you (if it's you or them) and the relationship isn't strained by anything too outright. As annoying as it is sometimes, I think there are definitely cases in which ignoring email can be a graceful alternative to difficult options.