Pens Please

by

Brianna McGrath of Ohio University

 

While reviewing the criteria for this prompt, I sat for 30 minutes thinking endlessly, “What is a seemingly obsolete instrument, that I simply cannot live without”. I pulled out a sheet of paper and an ink pen, one with the gel tip because I love how it glides across the paper. “Things I can’t live without but are really old”, I wrote across the top of the white sheet. I began to mindlessly jot down items; water, earrings, keychains, doorknobs. I began to get frustrated at myself for not being able to think of something that I felt should have came to me with ease. Then, suddenly, I looked down and realized the instrument which has delivered my thoughts onto the paper and was my current source of frustration, was simultaneously the answer I had been looking for. An inkpen! 

The age-old ink pen. It has for sure withstood the test of time, the feather pen’s exsistence being documented as early as 600 AD. Ink pens have driven communication between civilization for centuries. It is responsible for the very methods, philosophies, equations, and medical breakthroughs that have shaped our society. Imagine if Isaac Newton, upon the realization that he has just created laws of gravity and physics, trying to frantically type in his Google Docs password and not being able to remember it, so he decides to use Microsoft Word, but cannot figure out the symbols gadget necessary to write out his equations. For all we know, he could have gotten frustrated, and never produced his theories which have directly shaped humanity as we know it. 

Ink pens also have an individuality factor, that is just not possible with technology. There is something personal about a signature, and a specific person’s handwriting that cannot bereceived through technology. For example, I know you have used your debit card at Giant Eagle, and have to sign your name which ends up looking like a bunch of gibberish and nothing like your actual signature and handwriting. While there is the new “e-signature” for some low security level documents, for important documents you will almost, always have to write your signature because it is unique to each individual person, and it is assured that it cannot be replicated.

 Letter writing is also one of the most intimate forms of communication. Sure, it is great to get an email or text from a loved one. But, a handwritten letter is undoubtedly more genuine and personal. A computerized thank you note is a nice gesture, but incredibly impersonal and cold. Hand-written correspondence shows the humanness behind the sentiments of the letter, causing it to feel more authentic. Additionally, because of the increase in the time it takes to handwrite a letter, the party will surely feel more special. Again, hinting at the importance of handwriting. If a company writes you a typed message, it seems automated and like you are not valued as an individual, but letters that feature handwritten messages make people more inclined to take the company and their motives, more seriously because it is more personable and welcoming.

 According to researchers at UCLA and Princeton University, note-taking on laptops negatively impacts student performance[1]. They found that students who take notes on their laptop write more words, 173 written words per a typed 310 to be exact[2], which makes it harder to get to the core of the concept which they are taking notes on. Students often believe their performance is being positively affected because of this reason, they figure they have more notes in front of them meaning they have effectively taken notes better. But, its working the opposite way, the words become white noise (if noise could be words) and students begin blindly copying down everything they see and hear without comprehending. On the contrary, handwriting notes gives students a second to comprehend what is being said, then a chance to translate that onto the paper in the best way they know they can remember it for later referencing. 

Another activity that is preserved through the use of ink pens is brainstorming. Brainstorming is basically, “word-vomit” of all your ideas in respect to a certain idea, plan, or project. Brainstorming is a process which is supposed to be cathartic and chaotic, encouraged by rapidly and wildly getting your ideas on paper. This is harmed through the use of word processors and computers. The entire creative process is broken and too contained, limiting one’s true creative ability and the potential of the idea or project. Graphic organizers are also useful for sorting ideas when brainstorming, the rawness of that organization is lost in the process of typing. So, next time you think of a genius idea or concept and sit down to become immersed in a raw brainstorming session, put the laptop down and pick up the “old-school” ink pen and paper.

 In conclusion, even though sometimes items become seemingly outdated or replaceable by new technology, it’s notable to mention that with replacing new technology, you lose elements of authenticity you cannot replicate. It is important we as people realize this and understand that though things may be more convenient or time efficient, they are not always more efficient and helpful in the long run. Through working in customer service, I learned that its important to not cut corners because you lose essential elements when doing so. And also, I’m learning that old-fashioned does not always mean outdated, but rather traditional, and was probably done that way for a reason. So, the next time I’m in class and see the plethora of students pull out their new MacBooks and HPs, I’ll take a minute to think about what all will truly be loss through the intervention of this technology, and remind myself to stick to the old faithful, and forever reliable ink pen.