The only types of letters I ever write long hand are thank you notes. I think they are more personable that way and show that you are more thankful than by sending an e-mail. So, this wasn’t anything different or unusual for me. I am very good with my thank you notes and seem to write a lot of them. I would never write any other letter free hand though, I write a lot of e-mails as well. If I did send snail mail I would type the letter and then put it in an envelope and then send it that way. I have awful handwriting and it does not look professional at all, so e-mails are my best friend. I like how instant and easy e-mails are which is probably because of the technological age I have grown up in. I prefer sending e-mails rather than letters. It is easier to check e-mails and use spell check to correct grammar.
E-mails tend to be shorter with poor grammar. Even though the computer has spell check for e-mail it does not catch everything. We tend to be lazy when it comes to e-mails and using the correct grammar. When we write long hand we proof read our writing more and there is less of a chance for someone to mistype. Responses to e-mails tend to be shorter and just answer the question asked. Long hand letters are more heartfelt and have much more thought put into them.
In our society today people use the internet for work. Most people that work in offices are on the internet all day long, so e-mailing is an easy way of communication. Our book talks about people that are addicted to the internet. These types of people are more likely to e-mail more often than they would write letters. You know those people that you write e-mails to and they instantly respond, they might be spending too much time on the internet. It could be a way for them to escape from everyday life or they could have internet addiction disorder which could hurt them in their everyday life.
When I wrote my e-mail I got a response within the same day but I still have not received a letter back from my long hand letter. This shows how easy it is now days to write a quick e-mail back but how it is harder to write a letter. When you get an e-mail you are more likely to respond right then and there because it is easy and convenient. Letters take more time. You get them in the mail and then you might not have time right then to write a response so you set it aside until you have time. This may be the next day or the next week which is why it is called snail mail. In this day and age e-mails are much more popular and convenient with our technological society we live in today. Which reminds me I have to write an e-mail to my mom…
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Your first point about the use of hand-written notes to say thank you strikes a chord with me, its the same way with wedding invitations and the like. Not sending a hand-written object to either thank or invite someone says 'I don't appreciate you enough to spend time on you'.
ReplyDeleteAnd in analyzing your point about the greater use of internet mediums, it boils down directly to how fast the data is sent and accessible. Lets say it takes 3 days to send and receive a letter within city limits, in a society where information is the greatest traded commodity that is unacceptable for the daily flow of data. This fact is the driving force behind faster technologies, the quicker we have information, the faster we can operate as a society.
I like your take on snail mail and e-mails. I agree with you that hand-written letters are more heart felt and show more that you care about what you're writing. Also, I too have bad hand writing, so I tend to stay away from snail mail. I like using e-mail because, like you said, the responses are so much faster. And for being addicted to the Internet, I would say that I am. I use the Internet all the time, for the different applications it offers and to write e-mails and do homework. It is a part of my daily life now, and I don't think I could make it more than a few days without checking up on good ol' Facebook and Myspace.
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