The Law of Diminishing Thanks

The question having surfaced of whether one ought to say thank you in response to a thank you note, I here propose a Rule of Thumb I call the Law of Diminishing Thanks.  I expect your intelligence suffices to derive from that title precisely its meaning.

Still, for the purpose of being absolutely inescapably clear, I will lay forth an example.  Imagine that someone gave you a ship (or a boat, which is slightly more likely, not that it is terribly likely either; but one can dream of miraculous benefactors appearing and bestowing precious objects) or some other item you desire.  Certainly you would wish to express your gratitude.  The custom of our society—which has fallen somewhat out of use—is to send a handwritten note conveying your immense appreciation.

It might stop there.  Imagine, though, that you have the privilege of being that marvelous benefactor and you receive that thank you note handwritten with such great warmth and care in a beautiful handmade card that you wish to thank its sender.  You might return an equally effusive note, but then the exchange of notes might continue ad infinitum.

Instead, taking advantage of modern technology, you might send an email or a message via some other online venue.  Your thanks thereby decreases in its significance.

Perhaps the recipient of the original gift might thank you for this brief note of thanks, but likely—and most suitably according to the Law of Diminishing Thanks—it will remain less each time.  Thus, by this diminishment, in the end there will be so little left for which to convey thanks that the exchange will die out naturally and without awkwardness.