When technology conquers all...

LOST JOY

The smell of paper, fragrance of pen and the happiness of opening a sealed envelope — these are some of the joys that used to be associated with writing a letter.
Before the technological revolution took over our lives, letters were the only way to connect to people across the world.

Today, the art of writing letters to loved ones has reduced to the mere click of a button.
Metrolife speaks to a few people and finds out about the diminishing practice of letter writing.

Says Bhamati Kothari, a student, “Nothing can replace the warmth of writing letters and the joy of reading them. In the earlier days, the feel of a letter itself used to make one smile. Letters have an inexplicable warmth associated with them that surpasses all the joys in the world.”

Shalini, a BPO employee, is of a similar opinion.

 “The flow of thought while writing a letter is something that one can never get while sitting before a computer. The delight of opening a sealed envelope and the curiosity that entails it is absolutely priceless,” she says.

But many say writing letters is a laborious process and consumes a lot of time.

“These days when everything is instantaneous, we can’t possibly send a letter, wait for it to reach the recipient and then anticipate a reply. When technology has offered so many convenient options, why stick to the conventional mode of communication,” asks Shwetha M K, who works for a private firm.

On the other hand, some people feel writing letters means more consumption of paper and cutting of trees.

“I would rather go green and use the Net than write letters or waste paper unnecessarily. Moreover after a point of time, papers may fade or tear but e-mails remain intact,” says Sandeep S Prasad, an IT employee.  

With the technology offering better options to personalise the design and look of letters, people prefer to stick to the Net than write letters.

“I can personalise the contents, designs and the feel of an email and present it in a more colourful manner. I would prefer communicating through technology and making it look special than write letters,” says Asha, a business analyst with a private firm.  

However there are people who still stick to the habit of writing letters.

“The joy of reading a letter, responding to it and making a person feel special and cared about is something that technology can never do. The smile on one’s face as he or she reads a letter is absolutely priceless,” sums up Sridevi, a homemaker who occasionally writes letters.