Letter Writing, 9-14-2010

 I write letters and none come back. What may sound like lamentations is not meant to be. When I can reach the people I have written by telephone, I get the same response: they have been busy.

From my perspective, I think we have forgotten how to write letters in the same way we have forgotten how to have a conversation. Letter and conversations take thought. Both take more effort than Twitter's 140 characters.

Before my arrest, I relied upon email and telephone for all my communications. I had these merge letters formatted for clients and other attorneys. I can remember creating an original letter as a creative chore. E-mail sped up things, but what real thought goes into an e-mail is not much compared with a letter. Do not even get me started on the inanity of texting on a telephone. I never liked typing that much.

My son was to call me. Instead, I got a message through Facebook. Waiting on the call, I let answering the Facebook message go so long it festered into the cowardice of a non-response.

For the next 12 years, I see myself in a world of paper and ink. I do not mind it all - on my part. The silence ensuing my correspondents I do not find troubling when I await information. This lack of information leaves me feeling as I am in a cave - without light. I became so accustomed to instant information, instant communication that its lack has a physical impact. I need to learn how to cope with my relative ignorance. 

I can find a good deal of chagrin in my current position. After all, I got myself in this position, but I feel the necessity of pointing out a serious, broader problem that I see from the loss of letters writing: people losing the ability for composition.

Composition requires more than grammar and spelling. Composition includes the organization of thoughts into words and sentences and paragraphs with the purpose of communicating those thoughts with grace and flair. We should be concerned about losing the ability to organize our ideas. Is this loss caused by our modern information overload?

Losing the computer as a writing tool has been liberating for me. I find myself less inhibited writing with pen and paper than I did with a computer. Yes, I have lots of time that I previously lacked, but there is not the physically stressful response I had with the computer screen. Considering how much I was writing for blogs and work, this may sound truly amazing, but what is amazing is how much I am writing now is creative rather than rote. My point? Do not fear giving up the computer's word processor.

And those who still owe me a letter, remember this: I will not live forever.

sch

[A bit of q quibble between 2023 me and 2010 me, longhand has done me good for first drafts, but, oh boy, between illegible handwriting and dropped words, typing this stuff has been tiresome. I am glad none of my friends did try to put this online before I came home. It would have been impossible for anyone else. One thing learned from using the prison's typewriters: spell check is a blessed thing. sch 3/3023.]