I had the great good fortune (or terrible experience—take your pick) of having gone to a convent school, where handwriting, both legible and beautiful, was stressed. I will confess to using it less and less as time goes by, however: my MacBook has taken the place of writing in my journal, in my correspondance, and in my fiction.
I’m not the only one that has happened to, surely. And a fairly recent article, Anne Trubek explores the same issue … with some interesting conclusions.
One might consider handwriting as a technology — a way to make letters — and conclude that the way of making them is of little moment. But handwriting is bound up with a host of associations and connotations that propel it beyond simply a fine-motor skill. We connect it to personal identity (handwriting signals something unique about each of us), intelligence (good handwriting reflects good thinking) and virtue (a civilized culture requires handwriting).
So perhaps you might want to think twice before giving up your fountain pen for good! And then you’ll be … beyond the elements of style!
