Why handwritten letters matter in the age of AI

Do you feel like the world is just constantly changing these days? Like we can't seem to find solid footing because everything is advancing? Maybe you're worried about giving the government too much power, or about AI not having enough checks and balances, or the generation of kids you didn't help raise that are lacking so many critical skills, or the generation you are raising, or, or, or.

The truth of the matter is we all have fears and worries. Some that keep us up at night and some that are simply always on our radar. Some of these worries we can help with right now, and some we don't know how to change.

But here's the good news.

God is in control of all of these circumstances. And He is not a God of fear. He is wholly aware and completely in control.

He put YOU here for a reason. Not just on this earth, but in this moment in time. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that your passions and skills and personality would not be served better in ANY other time. It's now.

Because you are still reading this, I'll take it that something has resonated with you. Either the fears, or the relief, or maybe a little bit of both. And if it's a little bit of both, then I have some more good news for you. There's another way to take a small stand against some of these things.

Handwritten letters

Although this might seem small and insignificant, here are the reasons I think we should all write more letters.

• The bonds. Handwriting letters is a way to make sure those bonds of family and friendship stay strong. Because when hard seasons come, we all need someone in our corner.
• It can't be changed. In this digital world, a big issue we'll start seeing is digital books being changed without us even knowing. Little by little it'll shift until the information is completely different. A letter on paper doesn't have that problem.
• It can't be used by AI. If you never put it on a screen, it can't be used by any of these systems. They will literally never know about it.
• It's much harder to keep tabs on. I'm not saying mail is never intercepted. But it's much harder to justify tracking down cards sent to relatives than it is to just check your email.

So if you have fears about the future and where we all fit, you aren't alone. But remember this:

First, God is in charge. So there is no need to fear. The most repeated phrase in the Bible is "do not fear."

Second, if you want to take back a little bit of control without leading a parade, try writing letters again — or maybe for the first time.

My service would be a great way for you to start, but ultimately I just want you to have some peace. So even if it's a simple lined piece of paper, give it a try.

Sincerely,

Madisson

(another slight conspiracy theorist)