Decline of Formal Letter Writing

Once the only means of long distance communication, the formal letter has taken a plunge in popularity over the past century. The telephone was the first major technological development that led to the decline of formal letter writing. Even before the telephone became commonplace, the telegram served as a quick or instant mode of long-distance communication that substituted for a formal letter. Wire services such as the telegram or the telephone offer conveniences that the formal letter cannot, such as immediate delivery or live conversation. However, the contents of a long formal letter cannot be contained in the small package of a telegram. Phone calls can be expensive, and do not offer the opportunity to write poetically. Formal letters, whether they are love letters to and from estranged partners, political messages from leader to leader, or letters from sons serving in the military, are a...
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