The Meaning of "Dear"

Dear Reader,

I would like to draw your attention to a shift. Unfortunately, I do not have the time it takes to properly develop this topic, but the premise is as follows: we have stopped using the word dear when we write letters. E-mail has made writing messages so quick and informal (as well as a common occurrence), that we are now writing to anyone and everyone. The term dear denotes at least some concern for the person, if not affection of some sort, and so we say "Hey" or "Hello." Sometimes, I even catch myself writing an e-mail that starts out, "To [Someone]," which I find to be a cold and detached way to start a letter.

Back when writing a letter to someone actually took some time, there was some point to it, and you usually only wrote to someone if they were important to you in some way, there was a lot more thought and feeling put into a letter. Now, I can fire off a good 50 e-mails a day to anyone I want for free. Technology has a way of taking the personal out of interpersonal communication.

Please, do me a favor next time you write a message to someone you care about. If you don't already, start it out with "Dear." Tell that someone they are important enough to you for you show some sort of relationship past "I'm meeting you on the street randomly and thought it wouldn't hurt me to say hi."

Sincerely yours,
Daryl