Technological advancements have impacts on every aspect of humans’ lives, including their writing method. It is a fact that the number of people who use stationery to take notes is on the decline. Although there are some sound reasons for it, I believe that this development is likely to be detrimental to people’s writing proficiencies.
The transition to stylus pens can be explained by the pervasive integration of technology into daily life. At work, to maximize the resource utilization, everything needs to be completed swiftly, including writing. The advent of computers and tablets has halved the time required to produce a business report compared to manual writing, given the ability to copy, edit, and format documents with a mere click. This can subsequently translate into an equivalent rise in productivity. At schools, teachers tend to replace chalk and board with projectors and slides, while students are encouraged to submit assignments online for the legibility and convenience in marking and delivering results. This gradually forms a habit of using computers in note-taking and academic exercises among students.
Although typing is time and energy-efficient, I believe that it will ultimately dwarf people’s writing skills and cognitive functions. Firstly, slower writing speed enables individuals to better organize their thoughts, fostering the creation of quality and creative works. To illustrate, many internationally renowned writers, such as J.K. Rowling, or Stephen King, have shared their preference for pen and paper writing when composing their literary masterpieces. Secondly, it is proven that old-school writing can boost concentration. This ensures people’s, especially students’, better retention of knowledge, leading to enhanced academic performance. People, therefore, cannot enjoy the benefits of handwriting if they just emphasize on technological communications.
In conclusion, the shift towards writing on technological devices is an irreversible trend due to its efficiency and convenience, but I believe that people’s writing and thinking will be adversely affected as a result. Therefore, it is essential to strike a balance between embracing technological progress and harnessing the cognitive benefits of handwriting to ensure effective learning and communication.