I remember
being a young child and getting a card every holiday from my one aunt. I
remember running to my mailbox and thinking to myself “I can’t wait until I see
what ive gotten from my aunt!” Every time I would get a card I would end up
getting a hand written note and a golden dollar. This is a memory that I will
never forget. Unlike a text this hand written letter came with a nice surprise.
Compared to
this texting and email can seem impersonal and curt. People take much less time
in sending an email or text. One of these reasons is because people know that
when writing a letter with ink and a pen if you mess up the message you must
start from the beginning so you chose your words carefully. Also it would be impractical
to send a letter though the mail which costs money that is only a few short
words like you do when people text each other.
Today the
world has chosen to almost abandon the centuries old method of writing by hand
letters and has adopted email and texting. This form of communication may be
more environmentally friendly but it is not always personally friendly. I know
many people including myself who decide that it is sometimes stupid to use proper
grammar and use etiquette when texting or sending an email. What most of the
western society in which we live in doesn’t realize is that people do
appreciate the kind etiquette of letters. I feel that this is slipping away
from society because we have become so ingrained with trying to get messages to
and from each other as fast as possible that we stop thinking about how to be
nice and just think about getting the email done. If we bring back the basic
etiquette of hand written letters we will end up having much better personal communication
between each other. Like Lisa Jardine said people can use electronic
communication as a vial of concealment. By doing this they are much more likely
to have harsh comments than if they would have written a letter or called in
person.
Derek,
ReplyDeleteI really like your reference to your aunts letters. It really makes me also think about things I used to get in the mail as a child. I agree with you about bringing back grammar and etiquette but I doubt this will ever happen because people are using technology for quick communication, not to worry about grammar. Good blog.
I am surprised that you think that we would be able to return to letters. As society progresses I really doubt we would go backwards instead of forwards - do you really think it would be possible to persuade people to write letters more? Something I think has been ignored is that there can be etiquette in e-mails and text messages, people just often choose not to. Unless I am in a SUPER rush, I always spell out every word when I text, and I use correct grammar. It bothers me when people don't, but I can't expect them to write me letters instead! I think that if people just spent a little more time re-reading their e-mails and texts we would be able to have etiquette in e-mails, texts AND written mail!
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Maeve on this one- while snail main is heartfelt and tactile, electronic communication is no less polite by nature. People simply choose to be less polite. Plus, if we didn't have mail, it would eliminate a lot of traffic on the road. (Okay. Not too much, but hey- some.)
ReplyDeleteAnd grammar is something people should be in the habit of using all the time, not only when writing letters. That's a much bigger issue than just texts and emails.
Regarding the statements above, I also have to agree. Especially in regard to the actual price of mail. The US Postal Service is failing. It is in billions and billions of dollars in debt and people continue to pass it up as a means of communication... and it makes sense. In the past, EVERYTHING was handwritten, even the most simple and unimportant communication. Now however, instead of buying an envelope, a stamp, and paper for every single letter, we can email for free. With today's economy, FREE is a big deal.
ReplyDelete