Digital communication is not necessarily new for modern-day humans. Emails, texting, online news services, and Charming Chatter are just a handful of ways we communicate words through a screen.
The popularization of email sprang up in the 1980s and 90s as a result of the increased accessibility to technology. However, the first waves of electronic mail can be traced all the way back to 1965 when platforms such as “Mailbox” were utilized by MIT students as a simple yet limited way to send messages to their peers on shared campus computers.
The AOL instant messaging, better known as AIM, hit the market in 1997, proving to be a predecessor to the contemporary messaging services we have all become undeniably reliant on for our daily communications with friends and family. Nonetheless, the practice of writing letters has existed since the invention of language. Pharaohs in Egypt were seen hand-writing letters as early as 2400 BCE to transport important information. We see some of the earliest traces of love letters during the Renaissance. As a result of emerging formal education for women in the 1800s, the art of letter writing transformed into a common feminine practice, allowing women to craft beautiful and eloquent messages to be shared with their closest friends and lovers, surpassing the boundaries of land and sea.
As a young adult in the 21st century, I cannot help but long for an age when half haphazardly misspelled text messages were once intentionally written letters produced with fine ink and quality paper. Many believe that there is no place for handwritten letters in a world where stamp prices are ever-increasing and penmanship is steadily becoming obsolete. To counter the naysayers, I confidently believe that now more than ever, we could all benefit from the occasional handwritten letter living in such a numbing tech-powered reality.
Recently, I was gifted customized stationery, prompting my newest effort to explore the art of conscientious letter writing. After hand delivering letters to some of my closest friends, I personally witnessed the power letters contain to inspire interconnection in a disaggregated world. The letter should be limited to those within your inner circle since it is significantly more intimate than a text message, partly because the receiver can see just how horrific your handwriting is. Instead of a mindless “wyd” text, a handwritten letter requires a level of vulnerability from the speaker. It also prompts you to put in a little bit of effort before sealing up the envelope.
This summer, I hope to introduce the art of letter writing to my friend group as a way for us to exercise our writing ability and remember a time when messages were treasured. It also creates an opportunity for you to explore your personality through artisan paper and pretty stamps. More so than that, sending thoughtful letters to your besties will allow you to maintain your meaningful connections now that school is out of session. Instead of waiting for the postal service to deliver the packages you ordered in a late-night impulsive fit, how amazing would it feel to receive a letter from your best friend recounting their most recent travels and endeavors? This sense of personalization is lacking in the world of instant digital messaging.
Sources:
Bellis, Mary. “History of Mail and the Post al System.” ThoughtCo, 4 Oct. 2019, www.thoughtco.com/history-of-mail-1992142.
"A Brief History of E mail.” Phrasee, 17 Mar. 2023, phrasee.co/news/a-brief-history-of- email/#:~:text=It%20was%201971%20when%20Ray,concept%20soon%20began%20to%20spread.
The Ladylike Language of Letters - JSTOR DAILY, daily.jstor.org/the-ladylike-language-of-letters/. Accessed 18 May 2023.
Yes!! We have to try to bring back some of the more personal forms of communication like letter ✍️ writing! Especially in todays age of technology!