Way of the pen- By Siya Nagar
The way we write is evolving, changing slightly each day, random mutations and us choosing to write in different formats and ways is shaping the future of writing: from the quills and bottles of lead ink, to the modern keyboard, we have chosen to be selective about the way we write, often choosing to type rather than write on paper, but why? Why change an age old technique of letting ink flow onto a page, for an electrically modified typewriter?
The simple answer is convenience. Why smudge your letters and try hard to make your text neat when an algorithm can fix your problems? And now in this age of perpetual lockdown and online school and work, we have resorted to technology to share ideas and communicate with each other. Even I am contributing to this, typing this out instead of writing it.
Writing and typing seem like the same thing: words come onto something, but there is something more that sets them apart: creativity! When you are typing, you have to focus on a plethora of things, such as if there are typos coming, if you have pressed the spacebar or whether or not you save the file. Even though there are flaws in conventional writing, it is far more reliable. But there is one major flaw that typing can solve: paper.
3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are cut down per year. This is a lot of trees and many of them are used to make paper: for every ton of paper, there are 24 fully grown trees used. That might not seem like a lot, but 199 tons of paper is made each day. That's nearly 5000 trees for the global market of paper.
There are ups and downs to both writing and typing, and methods like recycling are brilliant to use. So, whichever way you write, be creative and (most importantly) have fun!
Loved this article!