Postmen and women are key figures in societies all around the world. They are so important as to be quoted in an aphorism from the father of American psychology, William James, according to whom “as long as there are postmen, life will have zest”. In Italy, it has been a key figure for at least 160 years, since Poste Italiane was founded.
Anticipation and joy: postmen as a communication network
The zest mentioned above, of course, is the anticipation and joy of receiving a letter; a sensation that postmen and postwomen have been giving to Italians every day for 160 years, on their rounds whatever the weather. There is no corner of the country that has not been visited by our postmen and postwomen, who were a driving force in the social unification of Italy following the formal process. When there was no Internet, and therefore no instant communication, mail was magic: you anxiously awaited the arrival of the postman to receive word of distant relatives or the outcome of a competition.
A word from the Beatles
Indeed, some even sang about the postman: “Is there a letter in your bag for me?” sang John Lennon in a song made famous by the Beatles with their cover of Please Mr. Postman. And after all, that was the important question for everyone, that reconnected the world and eliminated distances, even before the Internet.
Transformation of the postman’s role
Even in the early days, the postman had a very close relationship with their local area, with detailed knowledge of places and people, founded on trust and a certain friendship. Until the end of the 19th century, postmen travelled on foot, covering many kilometres, climbing to inaccessible locations, and carrying the traditional leather bolgetta satchel full of mail. In 1900, bicycles were adopted, a real revolution. And then came mopeds. Today, the role of the postman and postwoman is clearly defined: they travel with green vehicles, tricycle and quadricycle electric micro vehicles, cars and vans, and they no longer just deliver mail. In 2021, in fact, the network of postmen and women delivered 80 million parcels to the homes of Italians.
Protagonist in the vaccination campaign
Transformation of the role of postmen and women has gone even further: their hand-held devices can process payment of bills, and during the pandemic they also played a central role in the vaccination campaign, booking appointments. Time passes, habits change, but postmen and postwomen continue to give zest to our lives!
