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The world's postal services are struggling with lower demand for letter deliveries. How would you feel if the mailman became a thing of the past? Do you still eagerly look in your mailbox each day?

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Good question. I still check, of course, but hopefully rather than expectantly. My mother was the only person who wrote to me regularly, and since she stopped writing, I have but one friend who sends cards at Cshristmas and on birthdays.

I still subscribe to two publications - one twice-monthly, and one monthly magazine. Apart from that, I get the occasional letter from NPOs I have a connection with, and bills. Always the damned bills.

If mail deliverers became a thing of the past, who would replace them? Would mail be delivered less frequently, ie every other day? Would we all have PO boxes (which would be a terrible idea for the elderly and housebound)?

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Only at holidays/birthdays and even though mostly for things for my kid. Haven't written/received a handwritten letter in over 20 years, since I gave my mom her first computer. And we do all our banking, bill-paying online.

Still remember a long distance relationship when I was in grad school in the early '90s, pre-email. Those letters were a lifeline.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

I don't think the mailman will become a thing of the past; we still get parcels delivered- unless Amazon finds a way to start delivering packages with drones.

Still remember a long distance relationship when I was in grad school in the early '90s, pre-email. Those letters were a lifeline.

Yeah same here. I remember being as happy as a kid in christmas when I got one of those letters. Amazing how time changes.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Do you still eagerly look in your mailbox each day?

In Japan, you have too because of all the advertisement flyers for pizza delivery and what else.

I never received many letters, but I remember the times when ordering something on the internet meant waiting 2 or 3 weeks before receiving it, and the surprise of finally getting it felt pretty good. But I guess it would be pretty hard to go back to that now.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I get letters/bills/invoices/appointments delivered most days, mainly due to the fact that I refuse, where possible, to do business online.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Sure, I look forward to the postman/postwoman. It's not the same as in London, when I lived there, I'd chat to our local postie and she was a good laugh. But the junkmail situation is no different, sadly. Even a sign on the door saying no junkmail didn't work.

Also, what's the deal with said postal garbage being delivered by a noisy motorbike in the wee small hours? That's incredibly annoying, especially when you're a light sleeper.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

@Toasted Heretic -

what's the deal with said postal garbage being delivered by a noisy motorbike in the wee small hours? 

Are you sure that's not the newspaper deliverer? There are two that come to my building, usually between 5 and 6am, though sometimes later depending on the weather.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

@Maria,

Thanks but sadly it's just rubbishy fliers and this delivery comes around 3 in the morning. Way too early!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Have a few friends and some older relatives around the world who still write letters every couple of months, it's nice to receive them. I also prefer to write using a fountain pen and ink, you can be more expressive when writing, and it's easier than or inserting an emoji; you can just draw it or press harder on the nib!

Agree with Luddite on bills and invoices; many accountants and the tax authorities here have trouble handling online payments, where the receipt is in the body of an email. They prefer a piece of paper with a hanko mark on it.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Thanks but sadly it's just rubbishy fliers and this delivery comes around 3 in the morning. Way too early!

That sounds like it could be annoying. And a bit dodgy.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Agree with wanderlust, much prefer and still use fountain pens. Having said that rarely send letters in the way I used to, even the family all phone/e-mail/Skype these days, even my mother when she was alive stopped writing in favour of the telephone. I sincerely hope the postie doesn’t disappear but I fear they may well.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Tough one. I don't think you can truly replace the postal service delivery. What I'd like to see a stop too is all the unsolicited flyers. And no, I don't think I ever eagerly check my mail -- it is all junk and bills. I only look forward to deliveries of things I've ordered -- some of that carried out by postal workers. Japan Post does a pretty great job, all told.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The diminishing art of letter writing is a regrettable thing. From the choice of special papers, the type of pen used, and the emotional tone derived from the first few lines about the weather; much is conveyed in a letter that email, text messaging and video calls cannot emulate (much less preserve).

To intimates I write an email as if it were a letter; however, nothing irks me more than when the recipient takes half a second to tap one of the stock messages suggested at the bottom by AI and chucks in a couple of emoji. What a superficial "connection" that is.

I still have a few conscientious correspondents--mostly by email--but when I do receive a letter that someone has taken the time and energy to post, I treasure those letters. Some I have kept for many years.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I stopped caring about the postal service long, long ago. When I lived in the States, 75% of what I got was advertising flyers.

Then, when I moved to Japan, I had a large cardboard box in my genkan underneath the slot the postman used. When I got home, I'd see if there was anything I needed, and 5 out of 7 days there wasn't. When the box was full, I emptied it into a paper recycling bag for the garbage.

I estimate I filled 10 or so garbage bags a year with just those pizza flyers, car flyers, sushi delivery fliers, etc.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I haven't had or sent a handwritten letter in years but I still get bills, invitations, brochures, etc, so yes, I do look in my mailbox every day.

I remember as a kid growing up in Australia, we'd hear the mailman blow his whistle and we'd run out to the mailbox to see what he'd delivered.

I especially miss Christmas cards. I used to send and receive 40-50 each year and enjoyed putting them on my mantle. Now it's just curt emails or Facebook messages wishing friends and relatives a merry Christmas.

The strange thing is that as letters disappear from life, my handwriting has gotten worse. These days, I sign my name occasionally to documents or after using a credit card, but that's about it. I haven't written a full sentence for years. My handwriting now actually looks child-like.

Anyway, I will miss the mailman as much as I miss the milkman.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Not true. I moved last year and about half my change of address procedures could not be done online -- only paper. MUFG often requires a stack of paper forms, since they refuse to do password related issues on the phone or online. Several of my clients require original paper invoices with my signature.

These are usually anti-hacking and anti-money laundering measures, and there's a lot more of them now than before.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I am so sick and tired of the amount of junk mail in Japan.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

That sounds like it could be annoying. And a bit dodgy.

Aye, Maria. I'm not sure what the position is on delivering newspapers or junkmail so early. Might have to dig out the old earplugs, to regain some semblance of beauty sleep.

As an aside, isn't it interesting that our conversation is getting a few downvotes. I wonder, are junkmailers/newspaper delivery folks upset that their practices are being scrutinised?

Overall, am impressed with the postal service here and of course there's still a place for the postman/postwoman.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

JeffJee, interesting point about anti-hacking and anti-money laundering, wonder if that will grow? With sufficient online insecurity would that be enough to save the postie? Alas probably not.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Mailman job is really good compared to IT technicians.

But if it becomes less of a thing, then it's good that we will save some trees.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Do you still eagerly look in your mailbox each day?

Yes, I love bills.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@englisc

In my case, I'm using letter postal services a lot more now than a few years ago. I bought a stack of envelopes a couple of weeks ago and they're all used up.

My business clients and my financial services just want more paper than ever before, nearly always as part of stepped up security measures.

Japanese compliance officers, for example, now want to see an original signature, whereas in the old days a faxed copy (and then later a scanned PDF) would suffice.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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