Clearly e mail and the post office have similar methods in providing service to users everyday. Both are familiar to me because my generation grew as e-mail did, and checking the mail has been a daily routine at my house for as long as i can remember. Growing up with the technological breakthrough of web mail sparked an interest which resulted in familiarity. Thoughts about e-mail that stand out in my mind are the immense amount of e mails that are sent each day, the fact that this sudden technological boom caught on so fast within our nation, and most of all the incredible speed in which each message travels. Thoughts about the post office and its delivery process include packages, tangible goods, and of course the actual delivery personnel.
There has always been something nostalgic about receiving a package in the mail; you cant receive packaged goods in an e mail which makes e mail more impersonal. When a birthday card is received in the mail you get a thrill through all of your senses; seeing, smelling, touching etc. Opposed to an e card which is less of an excitement. A similar experience would be holding 20 dollars in your hand instead of viewing your account statement online. Clearly the actual bills are going to create a stronger feeling of utility than the online statement. Personally i have always had a negative feeling towards e mail through unfortunate experiences. From miscommunication with addresses to Internet failure, i have had the worst of luck. I would rather hand deliver an important message to assure accurate delivery rather than take the risk of sending to the wrong receiver.
E mail encompasses important characteristics that regular post office mail is not capable of. Mail that is sent by the post office is now being called snail mail for a reason. In an attempt to deliver to each address as quickly as possible, post office mail cant keep up with lightning fast e mail delivery. Just two minutes and a message can be delivered. Any more time than that would have business men and women in a panic today. Large companies rely on e mail all day every day, sending and receiving while on or off the job. E mails are malleable and provide a documentation to a series of communication. In addition, e mails provide a sense of organization not found in traditional hand-delivered mail.
While e mail has clearly replaced snail mail in modern day usage, there are some aspects of snail mail that will never be replaced.
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