Full Version: Will technology kill off writing?
I'm currently enjoying some excellent coffee and perusing the Washington Post online. I found an interesting article about the demise of short-hand and the prediction of the demise of long-hand writing. The culprit? The computer keyboard.
Even educators are downplaying the importance of cursive.
Questions for debate:
1.)Will technology destroy longhand writing for our civilization?
2.)Is asking kids to learn how to write cursive an archaic luddite remnant in a society now dedicated to the keyboard?
3.)Does technology in this light truly mean progress?
QUOTE
When handwritten essays were introduced on the SAT exams for the class of 2006, just 15 percent of the almost 1.5 million students wrote their answers in cursive. The rest? They printed. Block letters.
Even educators are downplaying the importance of cursive.
QUOTE
At Keene Mill Elementary in Springfield, Debbie Mattocks teaches cursive once a week to her gifted-and-talented group of third-graders -- mainly so they can read it. All their poems and stories are typed. Children in Fairfax County schools are taught keyboarding beginning in kindergarten.
"I can't think of any other place you need cursive as an adult other than to sign your name," she said. "Cursive -- that is so low on the priority list, we really could care less. We are much more concerned that these kids pass their SOLs [standardized tests], and that doesn't require a bit of cursive."
"I can't think of any other place you need cursive as an adult other than to sign your name," she said. "Cursive -- that is so low on the priority list, we really could care less. We are much more concerned that these kids pass their SOLs [standardized tests], and that doesn't require a bit of cursive."
Questions for debate:
1.)Will technology destroy longhand writing for our civilization?
2.)Is asking kids to learn how to write cursive an archaic luddite remnant in a society now dedicated to the keyboard?
3.)Does technology in this light truly mean progress?
QUOTE(nebraska29 @ Oct 11 2006, 07:41 AM) 
Questions for debate:
1.)Will technology destroy longhand writing for our civilization?
No. Neither did the printed press and they asked the same of it.
QUOTE
2.)Is asking kids to learn how to write cursive an archaic luddite remnant in a society now dedicated to the keyboard?
No. In fact, hand writing is becoming even more important as pen based inputting increases. Further the keyboard is actually the likely loser in this "war" of inputs. Moleskine notebooks are becoming the "new" PDA as people grow frustrated with the limitations and data loss of current computing systems. One bad sync with your Treo or Blackberry can send you running back to your pad!
QUOTE
3.)Does technology in this light truly mean progress?
Well your premise, by my reckoning, is so far off that there's no reason to answer this.
*yes I used a keyboard to answer this
1.)Will technology destroy longhand writing for our civilization?
The pen is indeed mightier than the keyboard. I carry a pen in my wallet that also has a few 3x5 cards in there to jot down ideas when they come to me. Tried one of those digital recorders -- that sucked. Kept misplacing the thing and forgetting to actually, you know, listen to it.
But, as we become cyborgs implanted with all sorts of upgradable gadgets, or maybe just our ID chips and the rest in our clothing, writing by pen and paper will likely hang on as an artform. There's tactile pleasure in writing with a good pen on good paper. Keep thinking that the higher tech we get, the higher touch we will seek.
Examples: the rise in spa massage, LMT type massage, and several other high-touch trends that are, well, perhaps not exactly legal. People need to touch reality and be touched.
Maybe touching reality is why extreme sports got to be popular? Well, there's adrenalin addiction too. I'm very sure that motorcycles rose in popularity to get the hell away from the screen and keyboard.
2.)Is asking kids to learn how to write cursive an archaic luddite remnant in a society now dedicated to the keyboard?
I'm not sure on this one. Writing seems like learning multiplication tables, something basic to education, so at least learn how to print. Most of my handwriting turned to printing back when I was a tech writer before we were allowed to touch word processors. Otherwise, even I can't read my chicken scratches.
3.)Does technology in this light truly mean progress?
Tech progress is always iffy. What actually works tends to stay in the marketplace (with some glaring exceptions due to marketing, economics and so forth) while the dogs drop off. The PDA looks like a dog to me, even though I've owned a couple. Cell phones are here to stay. Laptops, pads and desktops look to be longtimers. Electronic funds transfers and check processing will be around forever.
I think the pen and paper will be permanent too. Sure beats clay tablets and cuniform.
People might get interested in things like Japanese and other types of calligraphy (some movement here), and maybe Egyptian hieroglyphics as higher artforms.
In all, writing by hand is too much fun, nice and cheap, reliable and transportable to go away. When was the last time a pen didn't work with paper due to software or hardware incompatibilities? You might run out of capacity (aka, ink or paper).
The pen is indeed mightier than the keyboard. I carry a pen in my wallet that also has a few 3x5 cards in there to jot down ideas when they come to me. Tried one of those digital recorders -- that sucked. Kept misplacing the thing and forgetting to actually, you know, listen to it.
But, as we become cyborgs implanted with all sorts of upgradable gadgets, or maybe just our ID chips and the rest in our clothing, writing by pen and paper will likely hang on as an artform. There's tactile pleasure in writing with a good pen on good paper. Keep thinking that the higher tech we get, the higher touch we will seek.
Examples: the rise in spa massage, LMT type massage, and several other high-touch trends that are, well, perhaps not exactly legal. People need to touch reality and be touched.
Maybe touching reality is why extreme sports got to be popular? Well, there's adrenalin addiction too. I'm very sure that motorcycles rose in popularity to get the hell away from the screen and keyboard.
2.)Is asking kids to learn how to write cursive an archaic luddite remnant in a society now dedicated to the keyboard?
I'm not sure on this one. Writing seems like learning multiplication tables, something basic to education, so at least learn how to print. Most of my handwriting turned to printing back when I was a tech writer before we were allowed to touch word processors. Otherwise, even I can't read my chicken scratches.
3.)Does technology in this light truly mean progress?
Tech progress is always iffy. What actually works tends to stay in the marketplace (with some glaring exceptions due to marketing, economics and so forth) while the dogs drop off. The PDA looks like a dog to me, even though I've owned a couple. Cell phones are here to stay. Laptops, pads and desktops look to be longtimers. Electronic funds transfers and check processing will be around forever.
I think the pen and paper will be permanent too. Sure beats clay tablets and cuniform.
People might get interested in things like Japanese and other types of calligraphy (some movement here), and maybe Egyptian hieroglyphics as higher artforms.
In all, writing by hand is too much fun, nice and cheap, reliable and transportable to go away. When was the last time a pen didn't work with paper due to software or hardware incompatibilities? You might run out of capacity (aka, ink or paper).
1.)Will technology destroy longhand writing for our civilization?
I don't think so. There are different writing systems in use on this planet and some writing systems, like Arabic, are difficult to use with a keyboard. It is possible to use those kinds of writing systems on a keyboard, but the result doesn't look as good as the handwritten version.
I don't think so. There are different writing systems in use on this planet and some writing systems, like Arabic, are difficult to use with a keyboard. It is possible to use those kinds of writing systems on a keyboard, but the result doesn't look as good as the handwritten version.
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