I LUV U: Valentine’s Day Text Messaging
Love letters just aren’t what they used to be.
I doubt tomorrow’s married woman will have a box full of yellowing love letters in a cardboard box in the attic. These memories will never be cherished by the long handwritten letter that were received back in the day.
How can they be? Today’s love letters are electronic. Today’s love letters are short, probably no more than 37 characters long. Today’s love letters are sent by text. I doubt there’s much poetry involved either (now there’s a definite improvement).
While young adults have long committed their love and commitment throughout the generations via pen and paper, writing is so yesterday. In fact, recent studies show that only 5% of all written communication today by 15 to 24-year-olds is actually written on pen and paper. The leader: text messaging followed by instant messaging and then email. Heck, even email is outdated today.
Today’s courting is done on the run. The passion of yesterday’s Valentine’s love letters have morphed into text and instant message affection. Confessions once sealed in envelopes and sprinkled with perfume are now nothing more than a 37 character text message that will be cherished for…well until the owner replaces his or her phone.
The love letters of today will soon be gone forever. Unsaved emails disappear. Instant messages disappear almost immediately. Text messages last until there is a newer, sexier, and sleaker Razor phone available. The army is even asking loved ones back home to save and print out any emails or text messages from servicemen and women in Iraq and Afghanistan for chance that the unthinkable happens and lovers and young children will not know how much they were loved.
Of course, there are advantages to the electronic era. Young people in love are not going to carry around love letters in their purse or wallet. That would be really cheesey and there’s always the possibility that they fall into the wrong hands. With a text message, however, they can check out their love letters whenever they are feeling down and need a lift, no matter where they are.
That’s the real beauty of text messaging isn’t it? It’s anytime, anywhere, anyplace. I guess love will surive after all.
Bob Bentz is owner of Advanced Telecom Services – an interactive company that provides text messaging solutions to radio stations, television shows, and newspapers. He is also a hopeless romantic who manages to keep up with the times.
August 10th, 2007 at 9:42 pm
mobile social networks are the future for real now. things like peekamo are taking over social networks and yesss even love letters.