Thread: When was the last time you wrote a REAL letter?

It's nice to see that a lot of people still do write letters. I guess this isn't a fading habit... but then again, this isn't a "normal" comunity either...

I think a letter should be propperly written and everything should reflect the care and attention you dedicate to the one you are writing to. However, one should never over-do things and serioulsy avoid kitsch attitudes. Please, don't interpret this as criticism. The quality of the paper should be good, the letter should be, idealy, written with a fountain pen and the caligraphy should be quite careful. But the letter writing person should put his real self in the process. If your day-to-day caligraphy is cursive, then fine... but if it's not, I think it brings out a note of kitsh, of false impressions... If you are a "cheap bastard" and write a letter on silk, again, something feels out of place. At least to me. I do admire the work one puts into doing cursive and sealing the envelope with wax. But it isn't for me. A letter shoulb be useful, though it should also be a thing of beauty because of the gesture itself. However, if you add the aesthetic experience, more power to you.

The point of all this is: never let the lack of nice expensive paper, pretty envelopes and other nice office supplies keep you from writing a letter to those you love, to those you hate or whoever.

Today I am becoming more and more unafectionate to technology. I like the internet, I like phones and email. But we are all becoming far too dependent of these things to comunicate with our own people. I imagine a lot of people I know never having written a letter because the idea never crossed their minds. I also imagine them forgeting ideas and never doing some things because they do not have a journal or a notebook in which to note what you thought... They do, however, have a PDA or something of the like... but taking a note on it, writing something or reading some previously written notes is, I think, not in their plans. The technological apparatus will never - to me, at least - have the appeal of something like a pen and a sheet of paper in my journal. Because these things are real, are concrete. Computers and PDA are real as well, but everything is made of wires and electronic gimmicks. If you run out of power... bye bye PDA. But paper, pens and the eventual candle will never let you down!

You might rather enjoy (along with Freud, Thoreau, Rousseau) the works of Neil Postman- specifically "Technopoly" or "Amusing Ourselves to Death".

And check out by blog (in the hyperlink in my signature) because I've been focusing on technology, the way it changes us, and sentiments like you've been sharing here.

In fact, would you mind if I quoted you and made this an example for a new post?

I'll be very vain and assume that you are talking to me... Sure, you can quote whatever you wish. I'll check out your blog.
Thanks for the tips regarding the books. I'll check those out.
And now, excuse me... I have to go the mail box and post 6 letters.

Originally Posted by BKratchmer

You might rather enjoy (along with Freud, Thoreau, Rousseau) the works of Neil Postman- specifically "Technopoly" or "Amusing Ourselves to Death".

And check out by blog (in the hyperlink in my signature) because I've been focusing on technology, the way it changes us, and sentiments like you've been sharing here.

In fact, would you mind if I quoted you and made this an example for a new post?