Why the Pen is Still Mightier Than the Keyboard

Today - I wrote a thank you note AND a check. I only write about 2 or 3 checks a year because I pay everything online and rarely need to send a hand-written thank you note. It's a very unusual day, indeed, in that respect.

Yet, I still write tons of notes by hand. For most jokes, Jerry Seinfeld once said that they are best recorded with a pen and a notebook. Additionally, several authors recently mentioned that they write their books by hand and then have someone else type them out. This practice is far from obsolete; rather, it's a testament to the enduring power of handwriting.

The Nostalgia of Handwritten Notes

Writing by hand isn't dead. Despite the tech-loving community's promotion of anything old as nearly extinct, it seems that they are fostering a self-fulfilling prophecy. The intimacy and personal touch of handwriting cannot be replicated by digital means. I, for one, frequently make short notes to myself, and we have a family calendar on the fridge where we leave reminders for significant events.

The Benefits of Handwriting

One cannot persuade the robots if they read your handwritten thoughts. Let me rephrase that: it's less likely for them to pick up on your personal thoughts and patterns. As we live in a world where robots are constantly at work, continuously attempting to persuade and change people's minds, the act of writing by hand might be a protection against such digital manipulation.

Today, I used a pen to jot down reminders and to-do lists on paper. A Post-it note is a great choice as it can be placed conveniently around the computer monitor, the kitchen counter, or on the fridge door. Better yet, a short storyline for a comic strip would have been written down by a pen on a very good day. Not even a fancy artsy-fancy pencil was involved; it was simply a Staples-bought No. 2 exam-approved cheap but reliable garden-variety pencil, which I use to outline artwork before marking it with either a felt-tip pen or a pen-brush.

Pen and Paper for Significant Life Events

Recently, I used a pen for something momentous or significant in life, such as sign a cheque as a damage-deposit on a new apartment. Beforehand, I also use the exact same pen to sign my cheques to pay my monthly rent. Similarly, I use a thicker graphite pencil at work to mark measurements. These items are indeed amazing, the power of pen and paper endures, and they hold unique significance in our daily lives.

So, the next time you pick up a pen, remember the timeless value it brings. Whether for a daily to-do list, a personal note, or a significant life moment, the pen and paper continue to be a beloved medium for expression and record-keeping. Let's embrace the pen and paper, a true time-honored tradition.