To Dear or Not to Dear

Dear Gentlemen,

Do we really need to be using "Dear..." as a salutation to begin our emails/letters these days?

Ever Yours,
Nicholas

Dear Nicholas,

The salutation “Dear,” while costing the author a mere four letters, shows the recipient goodwill and gives them a reason to read what you have to say.

Like many forms of basic courtesy, “Dear” has fallen on hard times in recent decades. The thinking has been that such formality inhibits our ability to express ourselves wholly and honestly. But has our discourse really become less disingenuous or increasingly clear as a result? The simple dignity of the “Dear” has in many cases become rare enough to have become a more meaningful gesture than ever before.

But to go back to your question of whether you need to use the salutation—the answer is no. Read your own emails. Do you need to write in complete sentences? Do you need to correctly spell, or use, any polysyllabic word you employ? And to continue on to the heart of your question: Do you need to be a gentleman?

Good Luck,
The Gentlemen