What are the most useful skills to learn while social distancing?

Encyclopedia of Opinion

Question: What are the most useful skills to learn while social distancing?
Position‹2 of 5›: Writing skills
Argument‹2 of 4›: Revitalise your correspondences

Whether love letters or stoic words to encourage the self-isolating, make your words count and put them to paper.

The argument

Revitalising you correspondents is a way to feel more connected to the people around us while being physically apart. Texting, calling, and zoom sessions are important for day to day interactions, but sitting down and writing a letter gives a much more personal touch to the interaction. It makes it more human. Physically writing a letter require thought and preparation. It communicates to the recipient care and appreciation by dedicating extra time and thought, unlike a quick text reply. While coronavirus keeps people physically distant from one another, it is important to find alternative ways of creating intimacy and showing care and compassion. More thought goes into physically writing a letter, creating a more personal space even though physically distant.

Premises

[P1]Writing letters is a way to feel connected to people while physically apart. [P2] Unlike a quick text or call, a handwritten letter requires thought and preparation that communicates real care and appreciation. [P3] While the pandemic keeps people distant, that extra thought creates a more personal, intimate connection. [C] Therefore, because revitalising your correspondences deepens connection, writing is a useful skill to learn while social distancing.

Counter-arguments

Critics reply that writing the occasional letter is more a pleasant activity than a transferable skill, so it sits oddly under 'the most useful skills to learn.' Its chief benefit — feeling connected — depends on a reciprocating correspondent and tolerates postal delay, which limits its practical reach compared with something one can use independently. They add that sibling options such as digital or language skills build more durable, marketable capabilities during a period of social distancing, and remain useful long afterwards. As an answer to what is 'most useful' to learn, revitalising correspondence is comparatively marginal.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P1] Writing the occasional letter is more a pleasant activity than a transferable skill, so it sits oddly under 'most useful skills to learn.' [Rejecting P2] Its benefit — feeling connected — depends on a reciprocating correspondent and tolerates postal delay, limiting its reach compared with a skill you can use independently. [Rejecting P3] Sibling options such as digital or language skills build more durable, marketable capabilities during social distancing, so correspondence is a comparatively marginal answer to the question.