A new survey shows that people aged 25 to 34 hardly ever use a pen and prefer emojis to words. What did we lose when we stopped sending letters?

Name: Pen pals.

Age: They can’t be older than papyrus, so 6,000 years, give or take.

Appearance: Rarely seen.

Current status: All but extinct.

Extinct? What has become of the venerable pen pal? He went the way of the pen, pal.

The pen isn’t extinct. I’ve got lots of pens. Yes, but when was the last time you wrote something with one?

When I wrote a letter to my work colleagues last week. Really? What did it say?

It said: DON’T TOUCH THIS YOGHURT!!! Very good. But when was the last time you wrote a real letter?

Do you mean an email? No, a proper, handwritten letter.

I don’t understand. You’re not alone. According to a new survey, 65% of those aged 25 to 34 hardly ever use a pen.

That’s a shame, but who needs a pen when you can sign for a package with your finger on a touchscreen? More than half of those surveyed also said their handwriting had deteriorated because they so rarely put pen to paper.

Mine certainly has, which may explain why people are still touching my yoghurt. Corresponding in longhand is a dying art, it seems. About half of those surveyed said they sent a letter once every two years at most. And more than a quarter of people said they had not received a handwritten letter or note in the past decade.

It’s to be expected, isn’t it? We’ve all got keyboards and smartphones now. In addition, 15% said they didn’t know the correct way to begin or end a letter.

So, communication is a bit less formal these days. That’s no bad thing. And more than a quarter of young people said they preferred expressing themselves using emojis rather than words.

Oh, my God – we’re all idiots. Strangely, lots of people still seem to prize letter-writing: 89% of those surveyed wished they got more letters, and 70% said they kept old letters.

Who conducted this troubling survey? Cunard.

Cunard, the cruise-ship company? What does it care about handwriting? It just does. “By encouraging people to write at least one letter a year,” said a spokesperson, “we hope to keep the craft alive for years to come.”

One a year? To whom? How about reaquainting yourself with that pen pal you once had? Also, letters of condolence, thank-you letters and letters of complaint still benefit from the personal touch.

OK, here I go: “Dear Jeremy Hunt …” That doesn’t look much like an H.

It’s not an H. Fair enough.

Do say: “Dear [Recipient], I would like to express my sincere condolences on the loss of your [relation].”

Don’t say: “Coffin, sad face, sad face, sad face.”

This article contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. All our journalism is independent and is in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. By clicking on an affiliate link, you accept that third-party cookies will be set. More information.