The art of handwriting appears to be dying. Mobile phones, texts, messaging and emails are making the written word redundant according to a Thomas Cook survey.
Only 48% of Brits have written a love letter, which is a fact to bear in mind as Valentine’s Day approaches.
How many will actually buy a card and write a personal message to their loved one, when they can go online, choose a free e-card with music and animation to declare their passion, and send it for nothing?
Mind you, one reason for not putting pen to paper could be messy handwriting: 13% of men admitted theirs is illegible and they can’t all be doctors.
The good news is that 44% of us do actually write every day: the bad news is they are more likely to be writing sticky notes than writing adiary.
Graphologist Adam Brand said: “Handwriting is an endangered art. It is sad that less than half of us write every day and don’t send postcards when on holiday. However, we do still cherish handwritten notes, postcards and pieces of paper touched by your loved ones - you can’t do that with a text message.”
I no longer practice the art of hand writing as much as I used to. A computer makes composition easier but does not necessarily improve the quality of what you are trying to say.
A pen and paper makes you consider in more detail the sentiments you want to express: if you get it wrong, you have to start again. That’s why people treasure letters more than an email or text because of the trouble entailed.
Next to my computer I have a stack of paper and a pen and I take notes about what I’m writing or researching all the time. Memo to students: write it down by hand and you’ll remember the information. Copy and paste and you won’t.
I’m one of the 48% who have actually written love letters. My wife Maria is one of the 28% who has kept them and still has them, 50 years later. I doubt if she would have kept texts that long or an all singing and dancing e-card I chose on the net.
