Hall: Do You Write To Many Dears?

I am seeing signs in my mail these days of a need for a new, safer way to greet strangers when you write to them. Many strangers - especially male strangers - are reluctant to call me “dear.” You, too, have probably noticed that you have fewer letters calling you “dear,” though you readers dearly deserve to be called something like that. In former years, the letters I received from both male and female strangers were invariably “Dear Bill” or “Dear Mr. Hall.” And the same was true of practically everyone’s mail. True, a few cheeky readers would begin their letters “Dear Sir, you cur!” or “Dear Fathead” or “Dear Commie Scum.” But those were rare, even in an angry world. Today’s letters, insulting or friendly, are more likely to begin with just plain “Bill,” with a dearless “Mr. Hall” or frequently with “Hi, Bill.” Even close friends are a little twitchy about calling me “dear”/ Bill Hall , Lewiston Tribune. More here .

Question: How do you address a letter to a stranger?