I think there's a large absence of humility in our world, and a big part of that comes from the way we communicate with one another. Evidence of materiality is increasingly present in the tools we use to connect (i.e. $600 cell phones, $1600 computers, etc.). Not only is it in what we use to communicate, but also in how we communicate. It's amazing to me that it isn't completely taboo to text on your phone while someone is having a one-on-one conversation with you. I am totally guilty of this but think about that. Why can't we give someone our undivided attention for a few minutes? We're becoming conditioned to never allowing ourselves to be truly present in the moment in front of us. Letters challenge that. They put a tangible part of your day into someone else's hands. It's a type of warmth you can't get from the cold metal of a Macbook. Publications that still embrace this medium can also be described as institutions for their lasting influence in our media:
Remnants of personal correspondence style remain particularly in those publications that affect antiquarian elegance such as the New Yorker which still publishes lengthy reports with titles such as “Letter from ...” and maintains an informal letter style for the talk of the town column (Bazerman 23-4).Social networks remove each other from the nuances that make social interaction worth having. Arguably, writing is a huge part of this. Imagine what a dry world it could be without writers who draw from their own experiences. Beyond the obvious hit that fiction would take, the witty element added by examples to nonfiction prose would be void as well.
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