Because my attention should be directed at what I want to do, when I want to, not a nagging number that sits there being more than zero.

And when I do pay attention to it, I don't want to spend 20 minutes going through the 180 emails that I've been cc'd on. It's literally not worth my time or dilution of my attention. When I have attempted to get on top of this by doing all the curation and rule-authoring that productivity mavens shout about, it works for a little while but entropy sets in.

I'm just not into scripting my own life and maximizing my productivity, and my job does not pivot on prompt email responses. So my email is a garbage dump with tire fires in it, and I know that, and I get on with the things I know are actually important.

I'm not recommending this! It's just the compromise that I have settled in to. But if you wonder "why would anyone," this is it.