Another way of looking at it, think of this interaction in 1985. How much would it have cost?

If we were communicating, back and forth, it would likely have been by phone. Being in two different cities meant long distance charges. There was a per minute rate within each country domestically. If we were dealing international, it was even higher.

So a "discussion" over 10 minutes cost anywhere from a a buck or two to a ten spot. I recall ads for $1.19 per minute on some international calls.

If we used letters, there was paper, envelops, and postage (all which I am sure went up in cost). Yet, we are interacting with none of those costs, leaving aside the fact it would have been a two week turnaround through the postal systems.