At work today I had to use a pen to write something down, and at that moment I realised something: I hardly ever write any more.
Now I don't mean I hardly ever write action-adventure novels any more (lol), but rather in the past year and a bit it has been a rare occasion in which I have to pick up a pen or pencil and actually write something down on paper.
Since I have finished uni I don't have any more essays to write (I always wrote out essays first before typing them), I don't have any lecture notes to record, and I don't have any more written exams.
All that I have really written in the past year is the occasional brief notes (like a phone number or address), or to fill out some sort of administrative form either for work or for the bank, government, etc.
I actually find it a bit scary. Almost everything I do know is typing on a keyboard; I wouldn't be too surprised if after a while i'd pick up a pen and forget how to use it.
I don't actually enjoy writing at all so I haven't missed it that much. I've always had atrocious handwriting, to say it looks like a six year-old's would be insulting to first-graders. I remember a year ten teacher advising me that I should take corrective handwriting classes to improve its legibility, and thus I actually consider myself lucky that I passed all my written essay exams at school and uni.
In this increasingly digital age I think that we'll see more kids growing up with handwriting like mine. Here's something to ponder: as more kids use keyboards instead of pens to communicate, will we start to see a generation that is only two thirds literate: a generation that will be able to read and type, but not write anything?
Yes, but no. Our forebears had no clue about typing, did that make them illiterate? Or did it simply mean that the device for marking down thoughts/ideas/whatever changed?
When doing this entry I looked up various definitions of literacy, and most mentioned the ability to read as well as write.
But what is writing? Does it necessarily imply the use of a writing instrument on paper, or can typing be wholly and exclusively considered a form of writing?
In my opinion to be literate means that you should be able to write (ie pick up a pen or pencil and write on paper). Hence why I put 2/3rds literate in the entry: they can read (50%) but only type (a bit of the way to writing, so only overall 2/3rds).
I guess in my opinion the action of putting together the letters physically (writing on paper), is a big part of being literate.
the fundamental part of literacy is the ability to communicate without a personal physical link (i.e. speaking is not literacy) - that is, the ability to leave a message in a given language and the ability to read this message in said language.
at this point, if we consider it a transition, the ability to type and not write (or vice versa, imho, but that can be done if only slowly) would make one somewhat less literate. however, in an age where keyboards are to them what pens are to us (i.e. convenient ways of leaving a message), writing would be highly superfluous and, were this possible future to occur, could be deemed a part of history or antiquity rather than life skills.