Why do some people use postscripts in emails?

Why is “separate” all together, and “all together” separate?

People mostly remember the first and the last items in a note.

PS allows you to move the BIG IDEA to the end of an email.

For effect. Instead of being an afterthought after writing a formal closing to a letter (by hand or by typewriter, when you’d have to rewrite the entire message in order to include it above the signature), it’s become a device of delivery. A similar contrivance is pretending to cross out and correct something or writing things like “No, wait, I really meant…” or “Forget I said that.”

Many people aren’t just trying to express themselves or communicate; they’re performing.

I think PS in emails is taking a chance it won’t be seen. Once I get to the signature I am done, I might not have scrolled down far enough to see the PS.

However, I do understand that when having an afterthought, it might take too much effort to bother to put a sentence into an already well written and time consuming message. The PS might be a little disjointed, or slighty outside of what was discussed in the main body of the email, so a PS might be appropriate.

I think of it as an aside, something that doesn’t really fit in with the main message. Sometimes it’s used humorously, too.

Yes,I agree with @augustlan

I use it to interject a last minute thought, bit of extra important info. or in a humorous manner.

And isn’t that using it for effect? It’s not a practical necessity. Instead it’s calculated to frame the remark or information in a certain way, to govern the reader’s reaction to it. That’s doing it for effect.

^^^ If you say so, that’s never crossed my mind.
I see it as a benign after thought rather than a contrived ploy.
I’m bemused as to why this even merits a discussion quite frankly.lol

@Jeruba Yes, I suppose it is for effect. It’s definitely not a necessity.

Fund raising letters do it all the time too. Drives me nuts. Like we don’t know you have a word processor?

I use it to separate an idea. I even use it in some Fluther comments.

I agree with @Jeruba.

What really drives me bonkers is when people use parenthesis that way, putting the important thought inside the parenthesis. I’ve only started seeing it in the last year or two, in things like song titles, short fiction titles, or on facebook. The format is usually like,

mundane thing (abstract emotional thing)

Ughhh.

To have them stand out from the body of the letter.