In today’s world, snail mail isn’t as frequently used when you need to get into contact with someone. However, this does not mean regular letters are not as important as opposed to email or text messaging, it just means it is simply not as popular or required of communication to send out letters as it used to be. Why is it not required though? You lose the convenience in front of you when you go out of you way to write a letter to someone.
Today, everything we do has to be fast paced, here, there and always keeping up and everything we do has to be instantaneous or else we grow impatient. Snail mail forbids that and practically forces you to slow down. What is the sentiment in that you may ask? Thought. The fact someone genuinely sat down and took the time out of their day to write and send you a letter. It is special and holds the connotation that the sender actually cares.
Besides, in a society of ‘Throwback Thursday’, Polaroids and vinyls, who is to say we don’t appreciate the classics? Since this digital age, more teenagers than ever are longing for what their parents had. Something tangible. A photo that can be held, even framed. An album that can be set up to play. And yes, a letter that can be written and sent.
Handwritten cards and letters do hold high value in today's world. If you send an email, it shows that the person is on your mind. Yet a handwritten letter shows even more effort that is put into the thought. All of the person's thoughts and emotions form into words in that letter or card. It takes time and it shows worth in the eye of the person receiving it. Emails and texts are still viable in case some people don't have enough time on their hands to write a letter. Although that does mean that the option of handwriting something still holds value. Reading a text or an email can have a monotone and robotic voice to it. In contrast to this, letters and seeing something handwritten expresses the sender's thoughts with more emotion. You can feel their presence and hear their voice through the letter.
Handwritten cards and letters do hold high value in today's world. If you send an email, it shows that the person is on your mind. Yet a handwritten letter shows even more effort that is put into the thought. All of the person's thoughts and emotions form into words in that letter or card. It takes time and it shows worth in the eye of the person receiving it. Emails and texts are still viable in case some people don't have enough time on their hands to write a letter. Although that does mean that the option of handwriting something still holds value. Reading a text or an email can have monotone and robotic voice to it. In contrast to this, letters and seeing something handwritten expresses the sender's thoughts with more emotion. You can feel their presence and hear their voice through the letter.
I think snail mail is fairly different from a text or an email because having to wake up in the morning and check the mailbox and see a letter just for you in the mail makes your day. Thinking that someone has taken the time out of their day and has wrote you a warm letter makes you feel very special. Personally I love physical cards and letters written to me instead of texts and email. The last time I had sent or received a handwritten letter was when my older sister was attending college in Washington D.C. Finding out that her letter finally came in the mail made me so excited to read it. And even though we texted and facetime it felt like she was actually talking to me in the written letters. It felt like she was home even though she was in her college dorm. I think that we could all use a little snail mail often because it does show that you are cared for, since cards do require more effort than a text it makes you feel more loved because they took the time to sit down and write the letter. While snail mail is slow it is nice having a physical copy with you where you can put it on the fridge, on your desk or well anywhere. It is nice to occasionally see it and smile.
A handwritten letter. Words written in ink on paper. These days, snail mail is rarely used due to advanced technology such as text and email but to me, receiving handwritten letters feels more significant due to that reason. When things become rare, they are seen as more valuable and remarkable. Think about it, people use text and email because of how easy and efficient it is. When you receive a letter, someone took the time out of their day to sit down and write a meaningful note to you. Snail mail represents effort these days while text relies on efficiency.
Many people have a cell-phone where they can shoot a quick meaningful text or email, but how many people take time out of their day to write a letter? There's a more emotional and personal appeal to receiving a letter in the mail rather than receiving a notification on a phone. Handwritten letters hold a more meaningful value over a text and an email because it signifies that someone took time out of his/her day to sit down with a pen and a piece of paper to write to someone else.
I personally do have a love for handwritten letters and cards. I love to save all the cards and letters, so in the future, I can look back and remember. I have a box full of cards that people wrote to me over the past years, and to me, it's a deeper emotional and personal touch rather than the text messages that I usually receive. Just being able to physically hold a letter that someone wrote to me means so much because, to me, it shows how much he/she cares about me.
When Ms. Shepherd says that receiving a handwritten letter is as if somebody had “gift wrapped their words,” I related to that immensely. Although I have not sent a physical letter on the regular basis as of late, my family and I always makes sure to send holiday cards to our relatives that we don’t see often. I think that, in itself, is a way to show that you care. Snail mail takes time and energy, as opposed to a text or email, and there is truly a charm to it. Just being able to physically hold something that someone had written specifically for me is endearing, because I feel like you can see how heartfelt and “real” the sender is being. It’s much more intimate than a text message that could have been sent in a few seconds. Personally, I love writing and receiving handwritten letters from my friends. It gives me time to reflect on our friendship and appreciate the things in life that often go unnoticed. Receiving a letter gives me the opportunity to connect with the sender because I know that they took their time to think and write. Often times, I keep these letters as memories. However, I do realize that being able to quickly come in contact with another individual is also important as well. Sometimes, things shouldn’t be left unsaid, and time can make situations foster into something worse. So at that point, maybe instant messaging is a positive thing. But I think that in a society where everything is so fast-paced, I think it’s nice to finally wind down for once.
Sending or receiving snail mail is entirely different from a text or email. A lot of time and thought is put into physically hand writing a letter. The happiness and joy one can have after receiving a letter and knowing that someone took the time out of their day to write you one is everything. Although today in age all we use is technology and do everything digitally, handwritten letters still have great sentimental value because no one really takes the time to do these types of things anymore. A text or an email is quick and only takes about a few seconds to send however writing a letter takes time, thought and love. The words on the letter are not random. We should appreciate and value letters so much more because it is something physical that can be damaged or lost. You can always go back to a simple message on a phone that's saved automatically. I personally keep all of my cards from birthdays and holidays and when I go back to read them at a later time, it brings back so many memories of that day as well as that person. I get reminded of the love so many people have for me and why I cherish the time people take to write a letter for me. Snail mail is definitely something people need to continue doing in order to preserve memories and happiness.
Snail mail holds a greater sentimental value than receiving a message through either text or email. When you write a letter to someone, you take the time to grab a pencil and paper rather than to open an app. The journey a mail goes is more adventurous, because it's a huge process to send one. From dropping the letter into those big blue boxes to the mail man delivering it in your mail box. Now it just takes a few seconds to send and receive a message through smart phones. Since handwritten cards are rare to have, it should value in the digital age because it holds history and memories from both the sender and receiver. When reading a past written letter, it brings people back to when they had either wrote it, or received it. I know that when I would read over past birthday cards from my family, it brought me back to that same day. Text messages doesn't give off that same affect, which makes written letters a plus one. As mentioned in the article by Ms. Shepherd "it's as if somebody gift wrapped their words for you."
Thinking about the fact that somebody put in effort to write you a heartfelt, and handwritten letter makes you feel so special. It holds so much more sentimental value than a simple text. Anyone can go on their phone and type for a few minutes. When people write you a letter they put forth their best penmanship in order to get their thoughts across. I recently had a birthday, and the cards I received with personalized messages made me so much happier then the messages I received through text. They were still very much appreciated just not as much. Text messages will get deleted or lost sooner or later but letters last longer than life. Imagine cleaning out your desk one day and coming across a letter from a loved one. It will plaster a huge smile on your face.
Reading this article was surprisingly refreshing and it made me feel nostalgic. How can a 16 year old feel nostalgic? That's a good question! My entire life up until recently my grandmother and I have always sent letters back and forth. I would take the time to write about my days, since the last time I'd written; each letter would be close to three pages, if not more. Yes, she has a phone- she's not ancient, but sending letters is something she really enjoys.
My favourite part of this article was at the end when their was a quote from Ms. Shepherd that went somewhere along the lines of that recieving a letter is like someone wrapped up her words as a present. I thought that was amazing and it made me think of all the times I sent letters to my grandmother and if that's the way she precieved them then I want to start sending her letters again.
Within the article, there was a section that briefly mentioned pen pals. I once had a pen pal and we had the coolest piece of paper. It was so juvenile but it meant a lot. It was a random piece of yellow paper with a pretty drawing of a flower and the words "Pen Pals For Life" on it. We always had to send it with any letter we sent so we knew it was actually the each other sending the letter and not some sort of interception by parent. Thinking about this makes me realize how important letter writing is.
I've always gotten birthday and holiday cards from all my relatives and I should reciprocate more because it means so much to me.
The joy that comes with writing and receiving a letter is so much greater than the delight in receiving a simple, common message whether through text or email. This is because even though both produce a sense of gratitude in the recipient due to the fact that both took thought, only one took time, effort, and greater initiative. A letter is not only satisfying to the recipient, but to the writer as well. It’s a thought-out gift that makes one feel more grateful of the person, and it allows the writer to express his or her own emotions more genuinely and intimately. Some may argue that letters do not have much value in this digital age because of the fact that words are less valuable now.The ability to communicate through writing is depreciated due to the fact that it is now so easy to simply text in a group chat or tweet an idea. To some, writing a letter might seem old-fashion. However, I think that all these reasons are the same reasons that handwritten cards should be and are more valued. Sending a message to the world takes seconds through the internet, but writing takes time, action, and care. A letter is not just a bunch of words thrown out into the world, it’s love and connection displayed through something physical that can be lost or burnt, which makes it more valuable than a message on a screen that can be saved forever. I remember the last time I wrote and recieved a letter was when my brother was in military boot camp. I then realized the value of pen and paper.
Physical handwritten pieces of writing will always have more of an impact on their reader than their digital counterparts. A letter actually means something—the sender took the time to take a piece of paper, write something down, and actually send their letter out. A text or an e-mail will never have the same effect, as both can just be typed out with minimal care or thought. On the other hand, a physically written note mailed from across the country will give the receiver a good feeling—the feeling that the sender wrote this for them, rather than to them. There isn't really any concrete logical reasoning behind this feeling, but the emotional impact that a physical letter leaves is simply much greater than a text. A letter is something you physically keep, and physical objects have an impact because they're things we can actually touch and perceive. Technology is technically the more efficient method of communication as opposed to snail mail. Modern technology makes a lot of things more convenient, in fact; it's effectively taking over the world. The convenience that accompanies technological means of communication, however, is beaten out by the emotional impact physical mail has that simply cannot be recreated digitally.
I feel as if it may be too late for the current state that our society is in. In a time and place where people aren't as concerned with their word choice and the ways in which they are used and the power that they can hold. Consequently, words (whether they are spoken or written) hold virtually no meaning. I feel as though as a society we have cast a negative connotation on the act of writing letters and anything of that sort. We have been stuck in the mindset of progression that we are willing to sacrifice even the most beneficial of practices (like writing hand written messages) in order to go further into the future. This is truly an instance of "If it's not broke, don't fix it" but instead of respecting this concept, we tried to fix it and we must endure the consequences. Communication is one of the most important things to have in life and it is clearly evident that collectively as a society we do not withhold the proper means of proper communication. Text holds no real emotion and is one of the most misleading forms of "communication" used today. The fact that texts can be composed and sent within seconds, without any proper revisions or though put into it, makes us seem more like machines than we thought. The fact that we have found a way to correspond with one another without the use of actual emotion should be alarming, and to a certain degree it is. If we promote the use of hand written letters to our youth we might be able to reverse the effects of this epidemic.
Sending or Receiving snail mail is different from a text or email because snail mail takes about one or four days to receive. An email or text takes about one or two seconds to send. Also you have to pay to send snail mail. With texting you pay a small amount for unlimited and fast texts. Email is free depending what Wi-Fi you use. Snail Mail also has a risk. It can get lost, damaged or stolen. Emails and Text can be received on time and it's almost always there. I think handwritten cards and letters have very little value to the world now. Everyone is focused on their digital devices. Personally I think getting mail once in a while has so much value. I feel appreciated and loved when people send me stuff in the mail because it shows me how much time they invest in me and how they think of me. The last letter I got was from my Grandpa when he was out of State on September 27, 2018. It made me feel happy, loved, appreciated, and thought of. I will never forget that day.
The thought of handwritten cards is going extinct. The only people in society who use write them are Grandparents and/or Great Grandparents. When a child or young adult receives mail, it typically ends up unopened and in the trash. Personally, I enjoy receiving handwritten holiday cards and I respond back within a few days. Because I don’t have a set place of keeping them, I end up losing or throwing them away. “Although snail mail requires more work than its digital kin, it’s still not hard.” Today’s generation will go out of their way to get things done as fast as possible; because of this laziness, the generation carries with them, all the traditions that actually mean something will cease to exist.
Handwritten letters still have so much value even in this age of digital messaging because of the decision that goes into them. The reason why there is so much thought that goes into them is that it takes so long to fully write one and because of the fact that there’s no obligation for it to be sent right away due to the fact that it takes so long for the other person to receive the letter. Digital messages are much more efficient and they are much shorter and the other person receives them much quicker but I feel they lose sentimental value because of that because so little thought is put into them. Digital messages are usually sent are rushed or less thought is put into them and because of that, they lose their emotional value. Though some do take time deciding what to write or say in a text most don’t and it’s harder to express your emotions through text rather than letters because if you take too long texting the other person is going to say something new before you are able to respond but with letters you are given a much longer time and they can’t interrupt your thought process when you are trying to express your feelings.
I think that cards are more valuable because if we only had electronics alot of people would forget how to write and they wouldn’t really communicate to each other as well as if they were writing letters.
I am in total agreement with those who believe that handwritten cards hold more value than any form of electronic communication. In my mind, technology has stripped any form of intimacy from daily conversation. I can mindlessly send out hundreds of texts, tweets, and snapchats that hold no personal value. This generation, myself included, has fallen under the spell of the convenience of modern technology; which is why handwritten letters and cards hold so much more meaning to me. Knowing that someone took time out of their day to sit down and pour their thoughts out onto a piece of paper, for me, sparks a sense of appreciation and connection that cannot be achieved through iMessage. To me, texts are basically meaningless. They are simply bunches of code that are sent from one computer to another and hold no real physical value: they are lifeless. Being able to physically hold a card is a sentimental reminder that someone cared enough about me that they put their life on hold for a short moment, stepped away from a computer, put down their phone, and thought of me enough to write a letter.
Personally I do understand why nowadays people prefer to text or email rather than send traditional letters in the mail simply because it is easier, faster, and more efficient. But in the digital age I believe handwritten letters and cards still have value. On special occasions like birthdays or holidays, I feel that a handwritten letter or card have more meaning and thought put into them than a text or email does. Just to think that someone put in the time and effort to write out a card like that when they have a simpler option on a screen means a lot. The last time I received a card in the mail was for my birthday. I received multiple from my relatives, and it truly does feel nice to receive that handwritten message. Handwritten letters and cards have more thought and consideration put into them, which still gives them value even with the easy to use technology we have in our hands to communicate instantly. It is an improved form of communication, but the old ways still have value for the sake of those receiving the letter.
After reviewing the piece "Snail Mail," I am able to say that it is a sufficient way to step away from the electronics. From reading the article I can see how there are many points as to how mailing letters can be insufficient. For example, it does take a lot of time to write out the letter and then have to mail it. Although a text or an email may be a faster way to get the letters to the people they addressed, it has made our new generations communication skills diminish. When I was a little kid I did not have a phone till I was in middle school, even now I think that was still a really young age to get introduced to technology. Nowadays, I see elementary school kids on their phones all the time, when they are at school, out to dinner, and even when they are having a conversation with their parents. I guess what I am trying to say is, I think that snail mail should still be put to use because it is helping the future generations understand the importance of proper communication.
As a child, I remember running to get the mail and always being disappointed when there was nothing addressed to me. Growing up my parents sheltered me from electronics and social media until about the age of 12. So maybe I love "snail mail" because of my connection to it from a young age. But I can't help remembering a saying I heard once; when you say one thing over and over it loses its meaning. Like how saying "I love you" over and over to the same person for an inane reason the phrase will stop meaning as much. The same thing applies to snail mail and technology. As we immersed ourselves deeper and deeper into the world of texting and emailing and group messaging, we lost touch with the exciting feeling it gave us when we first started using it. So now, when we get a letter or a card in the mail, it means more because it is out of the ordinary.
Receiving a hand written note on your birthday is arguably more personal and thoughtful than if you were to receive a message over text. When sending a letter or a card, so much more thought goes into the entire process. If you want the envelope to arrive on a specific day, you have to plan ahead and send it earlier. Conversely, over text, the message is sent instantaneously and sometimes can seem insincere or sent as a routine on someone's special day.
Technology allows us to do things faster and more efficiently, but at what cost? With each message the sentimentality fades. But with snail mail, the thought is always there.
Based on the video, "Snail Mail," I feel that "snail mail" is very different that a text or email. Sending a handwritten thank you letter or a sentimental card has a lot of different connotation than sending an email or text. My grandmother used to live in Norway and traveled to a lot of places. She would send me and my brothers cards from Spain and the Philippines and many more. She would tell us all about her trips and what she saw while she was visiting these places. I feel that letters and postcards ar dying out, but are still sentimental, and should still be used.
After looking at the picture prompt, Snail Mail, I think people should write letters more than text and call. Handwritten letters have more meaning. They make me feel special because someone took the time out of their day to write you a letter. I personally like letters because I go to camp in the summer for a month with no technology. I like to write letters home and to receive letters. I think we should use letters more because they have a lot of thought put into them and they are fun to receive.
After reading the New Your Times article, "Snail Mail" I think receiving mail is completely different than text. I feel like sending real letters shows that you care, while on the other hand, sending a text is the easy way out. Although sending a text is faster, easier, and more efficient, sending cares or letters is more meaningful. I think handwritten cards still have value in the digital age because you can keep them forever and they are a reminder that not everything used to be digital. I personally love receiving cares, they make me feel good because it shows someone cares and took the time to send it. When I was little I would get really excited when there was mail in the mailbox for me, and I still do now! In conclusion, I think sending real mail shows you care more than sending a text.
After viewing the clip "We could all use a little snail mail", I think we should use the old fashioned letter communication. The big difference about the tech era is instant communication. This is what the main reason postal communication is slow or called "snail mail". I feel like we all need the rest and relaxation of getting of getting one message at a time. In the clip it shows hundreds of calls and texts, but only one letter. Instantaneous calls and texts can lead to staying awake or it could even mess up your schedule and make you busier. In conclusion we do all need a little snail mail.