23 September 2017

Only a Letter Would Do

«Nowadays, when it came to ways of keeping in touch, she and Rachel where spoiled for choice: they emailed and texted, and they talked on Facebook and Whatsapp. In the last few weeks, they'd even started using a newly launched app called Snapchat, which allowed them to send pictures and brief sages which were only visible for a few seconds before being wiped from the screen forever. But every so often, when one of them had something special to say to the other, only a real, old-fashioned letter would do.»

Jonathan Coe, Number 11

5 comments:

  1. Sure a real letter will do!

    Unluckily the nowadays teenagers seem to never really have learned the art of (letter) writing and to prefer Snapchat (in which they can keep pictures, though, and keep a story / time line). Shall we have to accept it and to get used to that, or should we stubbornly try to get them to learn this?!?

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    Replies
    1. I think it is nice that, at least, they learn that snail mail exist. Even if they don't use it regularly. But it is a perfectly working technology that one might need sometimes. Holidays postcards or Postcrossing could be a good way to do so.

      But your teenagers use snail mail, don't they?

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    2. DS has sent holiday postcards last year and this summer. And in a faraway past he has sent and received 5 postcrossing postcards. DD has sent a letter for a kids snail mail swap some years ago, but didn't get an answer. And the two of them are very busy with whatsapp, snapchat and so :-)
      I should try to educate them more this way :-)

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    3. I think you are educating them in this sense. I mean... they know how it works, so they can use snail mail when they want/need it. Seriously: some young people don't know how stamps work! Only they aren't as enthusiastic as you concerning snailmail. Well, I'm sure you aren't so enthusiastic whatsapp user... That's life!

      I remember well that YDS sent me a beautiful postcard (a lighthouse) with a friendly message on the back, from Eivissa... :D

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    4. Yes, you're right!
      And I was happy that DS sent you this card (and even managed to get stamps, which isn't easy for Dutch people in Spain, and for Dutch in NL since the real post offices have closed). :-)

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Thank you for coming. All your comments make me extremely happy.