For five years now, all letters — friendly, business, love — I write and receive only in electronic form. It is definitely faster than regular mail. But as a result, it often happens that the only written evidence of significant events in my life is impersonal lines in the window of the mail program.
Today, it seems natural for us to enter into a serious relationship with a person without ever seeing his handwriting. Meanwhile, earlier it was the most important characteristic — an interested reader interpreted everything: pressure, angle of inclination, letter size, blots, and even the spacing between words. In the absence of the «spell check» function, the number of errors told a lot about the author against his will. And the paper on which the message is written! And the delivery method is an airplane that flew in from a neighboring desk, or an album sheet thrown into a mailbox …
It would seem that words do not change their meaning depending on what they are written on. But perhaps we put a little more of ourselves into a paper letter. When the pen becomes an extension of the body, each word must be «made with the hands» by making subtle movements, and not just hitting the buttons. The letter can be destroyed. Not just by pressing the «delete» key, but with maximum solemnity — to tear into small pieces or burn, thereby splashing out your negative emotions and turning an ordinary action into a meaningful ritual.
In other words, the meanings contained in a «voluminous» paper letter are not reduced to the meaning of the words from which it is composed — and this is its main difference from a «flat» e-mail, which broadcasts to the recipient only a bare verbal message.
Today, the Internet is gaining momentum fashion for «regular mail». Virtual acquaintances exchange their «physical» addresses, and after weeks they wait for postal envelopes — without interrupting high-speed communication via ICQ. Sometimes people write the text by hand, scan it and send it by e-mail, and the recipient prints out the message and reads it from the sheet. What are these Chinese ceremonies for modern man?
In addition to information, we expect heat from each other, which is better preserved on paper than transmitted through wires.
There is a feeling that the demand for “handmade work” is weakly dependent on time and technical equipment. E-mail is good for fast data transfer and nothing more. It duplicates only one facet of regular mail, speaking directly to the intellect and saying little to our emotions and sensations.
However, in addition to information, we expect warmth and attention from each other, which are poorly transmitted over wires, but are perfectly preserved on paper. And remembering this when you are about to write to someone close can be useful.