Monday, October 3, 2011

Article discusses results of less letter writing

An article released today by the Associated Press addresses the issue of the decline in letter writing (for a slightly different version of the story, look here). Writer Randolph E. Schmid looks at the topic from the aspect of the post office, as well as from a historical perspective.

In part, one version of the article says:
The loss to what people in the future know about us today may be incalculable.

In earlier times the "art" of letter writing was formally taught, explained Webster Newbold, a professor of English at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind.

"Letters were the prime medium of communication among individuals and even important in communities as letters were shared, read aloud and published," he said. "Letters did the cultural work that academic journals, book reviews, magazines, legal documents, business memos, diplomatic cables, etc. do now. They were also obviously important in more intimate senses, among family, close friends, lovers, and suitors in initiating and preserving personal relationships and holding things together when distance was a real and unsurmountable obstacle."
The full article is an interesting read.

I do wonder...how will the decline in letter writing affect future generations' comprehension of the past. What do you think?

3 comments:

Suddenly Susan said...

I think we will be left with nothing to ponder over when our loved ones are gone. The other day I ran across something that had my mother's handwriting on it. It was a list of cars they owned along with serial numbers. It wasn't anything romantic or historical but I made note of the fact that I got a feeling in my stomach (a connection) seeing my mother's handwriting. We're going to miss that in our futures .....

Sarah said...

I think to an extent it would. I find it unlikely that generations from now someone will be reading my texts or emails (or that they will still exist) but I've read letters from my grandparent's generation.

Anonymous said...

Glad you shared this. I read it and forgot to. Reading it made me sad. Then I wrote another letter and two postcards. :) We who write letters will be remembered. And we will help future readers remember those who don't write. Right? We're already writing about them. ;)

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