It's interesting because handwritten notes are seen as one of the last symbols of human authenticity. The unique drawing of each letter seems to prove that a human invested time and thought in directly communicating with you. There was no copy-paste. There was no form letter. This was not a bot. And, based on the length of the note, there was provable effort involved. Both a Turing test and a proof of work problem. The world's oldest Captcha.

And so begins the devaluing of that proof. Just like when marketers started reproducing the "signature" on every sales letter with blue-colored toner, mimicking the authenticity of a hand signature.

I don't write handwritten letters, and I don't romanticize the past. But our dwindling ability to assess the authenticity of incoming communication is slightly unsettling.