An Entire Generation That Doesn't Know What Stamps Are.

Sigh... and yes, that's real seller feedback I actually received.

Well, technically they do "stick". Trying to find the upside to this.

The upside is "more stamps for the rest of us".

What was the last generation that was taught how to even write a letter, or fill out a check, or write in cursive?

Of course, stamps are hardly even actually stamps either though....so who are we to judge? They are only called stamps because they replaced actual rubber hand stamps originally used for postage. Engraved stamps are maybe somewhat stamp like, but not lithographic or "stamps" made more modern printing techniques, there is no 'stamping' of any sort involved in their manufacture. So maybe we're the ones who need to move on to a more appropriate name? I'm not sure if this ambiguity is unique to English.

Prepaid postage labels?

Naw, I'm going stick with Stamps, the term I've been using for almost 80 years.

Ah, no.

The era of redefining everything so that the majority of people need to comply with the wishes of a tiny minority is done, done and more done. It is the height of insanity.

PS: I want this forum to be called a banana from now on. Just because.

Weren't postage stamps called labels when they were first brought into use? I've read that the public called them stamps and, if you'll pardon the pun, the name stuck.

As for the last generation that was taught how to even write a letter, or fill out a check, or write in cursive, I'm still on the right side of 60 and learned all three. Now, to find the under 50s and under 40s and see if we can find out?

One of the original proposals was to use labels that had been stamped. The Penny Black and Two Pence Blue, originally, were called labels.

The Dutch (postzegel) and Spannish (sello postal) words mean postal seal.

I've read many comments from people on this forum who call the modern, self-adhesive, stamps, "stickers".

Sarcasm: The use of irony to mock or convey contempt.

Unfortunately I see the use of stamps slowly becoming a thing of the past. The reality of electronics & a younger generation that has no idea. How much difference something like this web site would have made when I first started 70 years ago. I also see the "stamps" of today being a battle of who can make the prettiest & cutest. Not that they are bad but I enjoyed the education & meaning I got from older issues celebrating something or someone. Not to mention the personalized ones that drive me crazy hunting. Lol.

Ha!

I work in a school, and I set up the philatelic club at my school.

A few months ago, I decided to offer the Club members the opportunity to make covers that would arrive in the mail.

The several who wanted to do it ALL knew how to set up the address, but they seemed a little uncomfortable with positionality of that address :-} I was pleased that they knew the proper format for mailing addresses. These are kids who are 17-18 years old.

However, one student told me that he had never received an actual written letter in the mail. He had received business mailings, but this would be his first "real" letter.

I think that next year, I want to try to expand the letter mailing exercise to more kids, like beyond the Club. Dunno how that will look, but maybe we can get more kids to enjoy the pleasant feeling of sending and receiving letters :-}

Josh

" They don't know what stamps are " They will , but they will not be like me or you . They are growing up in a world totally different than we did .

I grew up in a world were $400 million could control the Silver market and hold the markets hostage .Today you can't do that with 5 Billion dollars . Today we have 20 times to 50 times the money out there since then ,but the classic stamp market is still the same $250 million dollar market.

THINGS ARE GOING TO CHANGE .