Why Are We Losing the Art of Writing by Hand?
In the United States, President Joe Biden recently followed a longstanding practice of leaving a handwritten note for his successor. Mr. Donald J Trump, before departing the Oval Office. This inauguration day custom, shared among U.S. presidents, represents a rare moment of humanity and personal connection, marked by handwritten words of advice and humor. But, in a society dominated by digital communication, when was the last time you sent a letter—or even a brief note? For the majority of us, it has been a while.
We are now living in a world of screens. Miss a friend? Send them a meme. Have a work update? Text your colleagues. Need a grocery list? Type it into your notes app or just tell Siri or Alexa. Writing by hand is increasingly becoming a lost art. Even in schools, handwriting is disappearing. In the United States, learners are no longer obliged to learn cursive. Finland eliminated it from the curriculum in 2016, Swiss schools are gradually phasing it out, and several Indian states are following suit. This growing trend means that a third of students now cannot write legibly, and the day may come when children see cursive as a primitive, foreign language.
But it’s not just schoolchildren who are losing this skill—adults are, too. Studies reveal that one in three educated adults go six months without writing anything by hand, and two in three struggle to read someone else’s handwriting. This isn’t limited to deciphering a doctor’s prescription; it’s becoming the norm. Calendar apps have replaced physical calendars, autographs have given way to selfies, and TikToks and reels have replaced handwritten letters.
Experts acknowledge that handwriting may seem practically useless in today’s digital world, but they warn that losing this skill comes at a cost. In a 2012 study, preschool children were taught letters in two ways: writing by hand and typing on a keyboard. When their brains were scanned, those who practiced by hand showed highly activated brain activity, processing information more deeply. In contrast, those who typed displayed much weaker activation. Writing by hand improves visual recognition, learning ability, memory, and retention. Losing this skill means losing cognitive abilities—and even a part of our identity.
Handwriting reveals much about who we are. Scrawled writing reflects creativity, while neat handwriting suggests discipline. For thousands of years, handwriting has chronicled civilizations, allowing us to trace history and remember forgotten aspects of ourselves. From cherished birthday cards to messages from favorite teachers or signed albums we once braved crowds for, handwritten artifacts connect us to our humanity.
Losing the art of handwriting may be a sign of the times, but living without it could mean losing part of what makes us human.
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