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Monday 16 July 2012

Communication


The postman came today but all he had for us was a bank statement.  Is it only me who mourns the demise of letters?  These days we are able to communicate in so many different ways that wouldn't have been possible years ago but I sometimes wonder whether we have lost something in the process.

On any train you can see people with their mobile phones, i-pads, Blackberries and whatever - it seems people are in constant contact with each other now.  Being on the train used to mean one was unobtainable for the duration of the journey and businessmen and women could breathe a sigh of relief at being not get atable for an hour or so.  I don't Twitter nor have a Facebook account but these too I gather enable people to keep each other informed of their every movement. Why?

Time was when we made arrangements face to face or by letter and if for any reason it was not possible to keep to the plan then one had to telephone (always provided that both people had phones).  People who did have a telephone often had to share the line with a neighbour - so you see phone conversations were not undertaken lightly.  In dire emergency (or as a special for birthdays and weddings etc) a telegram could be sent - this entailed going to the post office and carefully writing out one's message, paid for according to the number of words used, and this message would be telephoned to the nearest post office to the recipient where it was printed out and a boy sent post haste on a bike to deliver it.  Is it really possible that in my lifetime we can have gone from this to being able to speak, text, Twitter or e-mail anyone instantly?  I do sound old!!

I miss getting letters from friends - they were an occasional treat and when I received one I often saved it till I had made a cup of tea and had time to sit down and really savour it.  A letter could be re-read many times and saved - today's young couples will have no bundle of letters tied with a ribbon to look back on in their dotage will they?!  You can't do that with a text message can you? 

E-mail and mobile telephones are great and it is lovely to be able to send a message so quickly without having to trudge to the post box in the rain but I sometimes wonder, whether because contact is so easy to make, we actually make it more often, to more people.  Just because we can doesn't always mean we should..  Do we read our e-mails properly and feel at one with the friend who wrote it in the same way as we would with a real letter when there are many more in our in-box waiting to be read.  Are we forgetting the pleasure to be found in writing  to each other on real paper with a pen and ink maybe.  Will our youngsters forget how to write properly and will books (what are they now we have Kindles!) be written in txtspk instead of English?  Will they all have arthritis in their thumb joints from all that tapping when they are old?

Modern technology is wonderful in its place but just occasionally I wish they'd bring back letters (though with the cost of stamps it would probably need to be only occasionally!).

26 comments:

  1. I used to love getting letters as a child- it was so exciting! I too mourn the death of the art of letter writing...

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  2. I'm afraid I don't get bank statements any more,, saving paper.. I get them all online! But I too have seen the lack of letters over the years. I love getting mail,, through the letterbox. I no longer write to my aunt in the Orkneys,, I phone her as it is cheaper!

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  3. It's really sad, I'm absolutely agree! I miss letters too :o) but I'm the lucky one I still sometimes have a postcard in my mailbox :o) All my postcards I attached on my refrigerator and I love to read them again and again :o) I do sound old ;o)
    Happy week to you
    Love
    Natasha

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  4. I often wonder how the younger people would get on if they were thrown back to our young days.
    We used to have to make arrangements when we said goodbye and hope we could both turn up on the day. lol
    We only had one lady with a telephone in our road and everyone used this in emergencies.
    Remember press button A and B, those were the days. lol
    Briony
    x

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  5. Oh I do agree. I have had two letters this week and enjoyed hem so much...real letters, not business post.
    Around two years ago I wrote a similar post, and from that came a partnered letter-write. It was such fun, and I think some people are still in touch with their partner.

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  6. It would be lovely to get someting 'nice' in the post instead of all the boring mail and advertising pamphlets!!!
    Vivienne x

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  7. As the writer of biography and a historian of sorts I lament the loss of the letter as future source. I have learnt so very much about my biographee from his archived letters, can't see that happening with tweets and texts. Nothing beats a proper letter :D

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  8. It seems that everything is done online anymore, which is a shame as it all can be lost in an instant. I miss getting letters in the mail and hate it that people think I should be available ALL the time just because I have a mole phone.

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  9. Sometimes I feel slightly differently, much as I love (and still use) handwriting and postage stamps. I write a blog for my unknown family in the future, knowing that paper will yellow and crumple, but the blog remains for as long as the Internet does.

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  10. I agree with your sentiments. Also one of my pet hates is intrusive mobile phone use in public places - and on public transport; people are losing their inhibitions about the nature of their calls also, I have often had to move away rather than 'overhrea' some very personal chit-chat.

    However, I will say that facebook enables me to quickly catch up with all my musical friends and also my far flung family - letters are lovely, but the 'small stuff' is what keeps you in touch with everyday life. I wouldn't be without skype as we 'see' my son and his family each Saturday and watch the children growing up, we are much more part of their lives than we would be by letter.

    Having said that, judicious use of modern technology is one thing, over- or mis-use is another. And yes, I miss the excitement of having a letter arrive on the door mat!

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  11. I still write letters and I still read books too! I don't have a laptop, a kindle, ipad etc and guess what? I HAVE NEVER HAD A MOBILE PHONE!!!!!!!!!!!! I must be ancient! :-)

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  12. If you don't mind emailing me your address (it's on my blog profile), I'll write you a letter. :)
    Anne xx

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  13. I do so agree with everything you say and have started to send little notes by regular post recently... just because I know how much I love to get a handwritten note or letter.

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  14. I do so agree with you too; I used to be an inveterate letter writer but people started to not reply which defeated the object somewhat. I think I shall rescue my ink pens from oblivion and start to practice again.

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  15. It' not JUST the letters is it? I really like it when "postie" calls and we have a little chat.

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  16. I was going to say the same as Anne. I love writing and receiving letters. Do you think the always having to be in contact thing is because so many people live alone now, just a thought. A truly lovely post. Thankyou.

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  17. Yes, it is sad that letters are gradually being replaced by other forms of less permanent communication. I loved reading the letters I found recently in my mother in law's attic, they were powerfully eocative of women's lives in the 50's and 60's.....the sisters in law used to write to each other a lot and they were very close and fond of each other. It was fascinating going into their world. Who knows what will remain of the written word for the future....but at least we now have lovely blogs to read!!
    Helen x

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  18. Jane, yet again you have got to the nub of something with unerring accuracy. I love receiving post particularly a personal letter or card, usually the latter these days rather than the former. I think it's a dying art sadly.

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  19. Last week I found the letters my Mum wrote to me when I was at university. Seeing her handwriting and reading her words meant the world to me (she died last year). The look of absolute pleasure on my face as I read them and laughed out loud at her jokes and touched the page she had once written and sent to me with love left my children begging me to write to them instead of emailing and texting.

    There is still a need for handwritten letters. I shall have to buy myself a splendid ink pen!

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  20. I agree with you whole heartedly and like many, still have a few significant letters stashed away somewhere. Text, tweets and emails are all soulless - a hand written letter is just that it came from the hand of the writer to you with their touch, handwriting, and in the old days a bit of 'lick' too!

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  21. Hi Jane,

    I could not agree more.
    I rarely get a letter these days, and I do so miss them.
    I sometimes wish I had never learned to use a computer.....
    in fact, there are times I turn it off and consider never turning it on again....

    Enjoy your summer :)

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  22. No technology could possibly replace the smile a sweet lettre or two might bring in the post! I whole heartily agree with you and thank you for a thoughtful post!
    Glad I stopped by,

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  23. I totally agree, there's such a thrill at the sound of a hand written letter being posted through the door, Lucey x

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  24. I must admit I usually email friends these days, the ones who have a computer! - as it's so handy to get an immediate reply to a query. I do write letters as well but struggling to read one friend's handwriting rather takes the gilt off the gingerbread. As for loud mobile phone conversations - I wonder how the person would feel if we joined in,
    regarding it as a public conversation? It's the 'dinner's ready' kind which irritate the most, I think.

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  25. I love to get letters - my husband teases me when he brings in the mail about "not liking today's mail, there aren't pretty envelopes in it..." There is something wonderful about getting news you can 'hold on to' from someone you love and have known for years. Email is convenient, but the handwriting and perfume of a friend with maybe a few rose petals or scraps of fabric - HEAVEN. Thanks for reminding me.

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