In a “Talk of the Town” piece (“Stars on Stars”, The New Yorker, May 22, 2006, pp. 28-29), Lauren Collins recalls a short exchange at a party between Ralph Nader and Steve Wynn:

“Steve, before I forget, will you give me your card?” Nader said.
“I don’t have one, but I’m an easy guy to find,” Wynn answered.

There’s ambiguity in the exchange. Maybe Wynn is politely telling Nader that the conversation won’t continue after the party. Maybe Wynn doesn’t carry business cards at social occasions. Maybe Wynn’s refusal to carry business cards signals secrecy, mystery, and power; according to urban legend, partners at management consultancy Bain & Company didn’t carry business cards in that company’s early days. But perhaps Wynn really does mean exactly what he says: that he’s easy to find.

Being easy to find isn’t the same as being available at all hours or accepting interruptions at any time. And being easy to find shouldn’t open the door to spam or unwelcome telephone solicitations. Being easy to find means that a caller can find the right door and ring a bell. Whether the door will open is another matter.

It’s getting harder to be easy to find. Despite the proliferation of cell phones and e-mail, contact details often are jealously guarded and cloaked in secrecy. On many web sites, basic contact information, such as a general or switchboard phone number, is buried clicks beneath the home page.

Wouldn’t it be great if more of us were easier to find?