Bezek's ad campaign of a year or two back always struck me as a bit strange. Yes, in Israeli society the idea of conducting business via the phone for some reason wasn't considered "accepted usage", but the campaign raised questions about just what was.

Was it "accepted usage" to make condolence calls via the phone, or perhaps to tell someone you loved him or her? Certainly at some point in the early usage of this technology these weren't considered "proper". The expression of emotion was supposed to take place "face to face". All that, of course, has changed, and the phone companies now encourage us to use their services for everything.

For years I typed personal (whatever that means) letters on a typewriter, and inevitably, when friends or acquaintances learned I did this they would raise an eyebrow in wonderment and ask whether it was possible to "be personal" in that way. Perhaps it was my own failing that made it difficult for me to even understand the question. Yes, form follows function, but did it really make a difference that a letter was typewritten rather than handwritten? Many people still think the answer is yes.
....

And anyway, I have my doubts as to how much communication, be it via phone, handwritten snail mail, e-mail, or by any other means, really has much of the personal or emotional in it.