Darby Waters

Talking in person has been replaced by communication through social media, such as Snapchat and Instagram.

In the 21st century, technology is constantly evolving and improving. Yet, with these advancements, it becomes difficult to hold onto the more sentimental and individualistic ways of communication, such as letter writing and talking face to face.

With phones and laptops, we can send and receive messages instantaneously—a necessity in the modern world. Despite the positive advantages of technology, I have seen that phones have degraded personal relationships between people. Whether I am sending a text to my friend or family member or receiving annoying spam messages, I say the same thing in the same format and tone. Especially when texting, I become anxious about how my tone comes off to the person receiving the message. Do I sound happy, sad, annoyed, worried, or indifferent? There can be a million different interpretations of a single word, whereas if I were to say the same thing in person, the tone would be much clearer. This is why I wish letter writing were more prominent and common in today’s world.

Tone plays a key role in defining a relationship status. If I am mad at someone, I use an aggressive tone when speaking to them. There is an obvious distinction between happy and sad tones that one can easily grasp when speaking in person. However, it is a much different game if I am utilizing technology. Whether I am happy, sad, or indifferent, I still use the same small thin black text to express my feelings, leaving the reader to interpret the message themselves.

In my life, I have seen a wave of people deeply connected to their phones as a form of communication, whether through texting, Snapchat, or social media. For example, during school lunch, I see the tables filled with students staring at their phones instead of communicating with their friends sitting right next to them. Yes, as teenagers, we connect through social media, posting pictures and sharing videos. But recently, this is the only form of social interaction teenagers have with each other. Instead of forming memories with one another, everyone is too engaged with their phones. Many relationships in today’s age of technology are not as personal or connected as they used to be due to everyone’s addiction to their phones.

If I received 200 text messages and 20 letters on the same day, I would open the letters first every single time. The physical pile of letters would bother me, while the numerous unread text messages would just pile up with the red notification number on my phone. There is something special about receiving a letter: something more powerful than a single text message. This is because letters must be hand-written, while text can be quickly typed or voice-recorded by Siri. Receiving a letter comes with gratitude and thoughtfulness because someone took the time to personally hand-write a note.

Knowing that a letter took more time and effort to write plays a crucial role in the thoughtfulness of friendships. A while ago, I received a letter from a close friend, thanking me for the gift I gave her for her birthday. My friend could have easily sent a text message, which—no doubt—would have been the faster and more efficient choice. But she didn’t, and that means a lot to me.

Instant communication has downgraded and destroyed personal relationships. Despite the advantages of technology, thoughtful emotions and messages can get lost in a text. As we learn more about technology and create even more efficient ways of communicating, it is important to remember that we have been given the gift of speaking and must use it effectively.