Are Letters Obsolete in A Digital Age

Obsolete Letters in a Digital Age
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Abstract
Communication is an important part of an individual’s life. Over the years, the methods of communication are leaning towards the digital world. This can be attributed to the fact that technology has become a necessity in the human life. Written communication is thus becoming obsolete due to the advance in technology. However, it is important for people to understand the different styles that were used in written communication even with the advancement of technology. The kind of audience that the sender is aiming at will determine the different styles and the type of language to use. This will help the audience to resonate with the sender, and thus effective communication will take place. Some advantages and disadvantages are linked to the use of written communication as compared to the digital communication. With digital communication, many people find it easy to use shortcuts while writing the message and this can be hard to understand. Fortunately, with digital communication individuals are able to get clarity from the sender, unlike written communication. It is important to ensure that the clarity of the message is observed and this is why different styles of writing communication are embraced.
Keywords: Digital Age, letters, written communication, digital communication.

In the digital age, people are finding it hard to communicate using letters rendering letters obsolete. It is more convenient to compose a text or email if the recipient has embraced the new technology.

Advance in technology serves as a replacement for writing letters. Nonetheless, it is crucial to understand the essence of formatting and using proper styles in letter writing. This is because emotional changes are witnessed in writing since the presence of the internet and mobile phones. It is hard for technology to replace the sentimental value that was expressed in the writing of letters (Barnard, 2012). Formatting and styles of letters are important in the digital era. For instance, an individual is expected to understand the different forms of writing, font types, font size, use of capital and small letter while they are communicating using the modern technology. Therefore, it is critical to distinguish the group of audience that you are addressing to decide on the appropriate style of writing to use.
Written communication has its advantages compared to digital communication. It is inexpensive compared to digital communication because the only requirement is a paper and a pen. Digital communication requires an individual to have a communicating device which is expensive to acquire. Written communication is convenient for people with no skills in operating a computer or a phone and thus did not discriminate against the factor of age (Butterfield, 2009). With digital communication, it is hard for the elderly to master the technique of using phones or computers to send their messages. Written communication is more valuable in this digital as people see it as a kind gesture to take your time to write it. The reader can feel the emotions of the sender.
There are also disadvantages of using written communication. Written communication takes longer to reach the recipient and thus the message may be long overdue. Postal administrations have specific hours and days of operating and thus sending written communication does not offer time convenience. Written communication requires physical space for storage compared to digital communication as the storage depends on the storage space of the device. Writing the letter can be time-consuming. This is because making a mistake requires a new paper and thus the sender might have to restart the paper several times.
References
BIBLIOGRAPHY Barnard, M. (2012, December 11). Letter Writing in the Digital Age: Emails and Correspondence of Russell Banks & Others. Retrieved from The Daily Beast: https://www.thedailybeast.com/letter-writing-in-the-digital-age-emails-and-correspondence-of-russell-banks-and-others
Butterfield, J. (2009). Written Communication: Soft Skills for a Digital Workplace. Boston: Cengage Learning.