If you look at, for example, a handwritten letter from someone of the boomer generation or older, their handwriting is in most cases neatly stylized and sophisticated. I think most of us when we were first learning to write in cursive always assumed ours would start to look that way as we got older, but most of my peers still have the same child-like handwriting they did in elementary school. Even the girls. Now personally, I think I have nice handwriting, but unlike my peers I actually stuck with cursive well beyond junior high. Everyone else seemed to revert back to printing by the time they started high school, but even their printing still looks like crap. Not only that, but a lot of times if I happen to show friends things I've handwritten, they'll be like "I can't read cursive" O___O. How do you forget? And I don't mean to generalize an entire generalize the entire generation, nor am I saying all old people have nice handwriting, I'm just reporting what I've observed on average compared to the older generations. Is it because we physically write less in the age of computers?

I'm almost 22 for the record.

Is it because we physically write less in the age of computers?

I think that could be your answer.


I don't know which generation I am in but I am always getting good compliments about my handwriting in cursive :)

I can't remember the last time I received a written letter. As a tail end baby boomer, I used to write lots of letters and receive them.
My generation had a little more practice in writing ( letters, Christmas cards, essays at school, university), so that might be a reason.

My guess is they just don't teach it anymore. I graduated high school in 1980 and every class I had up to that point
penmanship was factored in the grade. After 3rd grade printing was a no no; everything had to be cursive, even word
problems in math.

My guess is they just don't teach it anymore. I graduated high school in 1980 and every class I had up to that point
penmanship was factored in the grade. After 3rd grade printing was a no no; everything had to be cursive, even word
problems in math.


It was definitely still taught to my class in 1999 when I was in third grade, and was pretty much enforced up to about 8th grade. Then in high school, teachers didn't care and most people slipped back into the habit of printing. Now I always hear people my age talking about what a waste of time learning cursive was and what not because they never use it.

In college if I ever have to hand-write an assignment, I always do so in cursive because it looks more professional and less lazy. I even take most of my notes in cursive.

Although I did hear that as of about a year ago, teaching cursive is no longer a requirement for schools. Big mistake, imo. How is that generation going to sign their names or read things that the preceding generations wrote?

This is the digital age.  Does anyone even use a pen/pencil and paper anymore?  You seldom see it apart from school classrooms

This is the digital age.  Does anyone even use a pen/pencil and paper anymore?  You seldom see it apart from school classrooms


I agree. Pencil and paper usage is mostly confined to classrooms now, although I'm even seeing a lot of my classmates type up their notes on laptops. Instead of written essays, most professors require typed essays. But it's also a convenience thing. For example, why go through the trouble of writing and mailing a letter when you can just type it up, send it, and receive a response within hours or minutes even?

Because penmanship is sexist.
8)

Oh I dunno, bad handwriting isn't Gen Y exclusive.  I do alot of geneaology research, and having to decipher the script handwriting of old census records (to me) is torture.  Also have access to my great-grandmother's church records, written in German, and in script, and I just have kinda given up.

Oh I dunno, bad handwriting isn't Gen Y exclusive.  I do alot of geneaology research, and having to decipher the script handwriting of old census records (to me) is torture.  Also have access to my great-grandmother's church records, written in German, and in script, and I just have kinda given up.


Funny you mention census records, because that's part of what prompted my observation. I too do genealogy research and am often in awe in the impressively neat penmanship of the census takers...I mean sometimes it's SO fancy that it's just as hard to read as poor penmanship, but that's beside my point, lol. That is if the image/ink hasn't severely faded making it even harder to read.

And while I understand that we live in the digital age, I don't think the need the write with a pen will ever completely disappear. There are times when it's simpler to jot something down on paper than it is to fetch your laptop so you can type it.

I have to say that I don't have "pretty" handwriting, not like some I've seen.  But I can still read my own handwriting (so far, anyway).  Whenever I have to sign my full name on official documents, I have to stop and spell it in my head, and sometimes there is a disconnect, and I end up having to "fix" my signature because I left out a letter.  I'm a big fan of typing (see my typewriters thread http://www.inthe00s.com/index.php?topic=46165.0), so I'm not really all that upset that handwriting is becoming somewhat obsolete.  Having said that, I have a copy of a letter written by my great-great grandfather (albeit, it was a application for disability funding from the Veterans Admins. after the Civil War (so the letter is a bit dry) but it is interesting to see his handwriting over a hundred years later.

This is the digital age.  Does anyone even use a pen/pencil and paper anymore?  You seldom see it apart from school classrooms


Of course I do. Taking notes in handwriting is a lot more spontanous and you're more flexible - and the content 'goes into the brain' much better IMO.

If you look at, for example, a handwritten letter from someone of the boomer generation or older, their handwriting is in most cases neatly stylized and sophisticated. I think most of us when we were first learning to write in cursive always assumed ours would start to look that way as we got older, but most of my peers still have the same child-like handwriting they did in elementary school. Even the girls. Now personally, I think I have nice handwriting, but unlike my peers I actually stuck with cursive well beyond junior high. Everyone else seemed to revert back to printing by the time they started high school, but even their printing still looks like crap. Not only that, but a lot of times if I happen to show friends things I've handwritten, they'll be like "I can't read cursive" O___O. How do you forget? And I don't mean to generalize an entire generalize the entire generation, nor am I saying all old people have nice handwriting, I'm just reporting what I've observed on average compared to the older generations. Is it because we physically write less in the age of computers?

I'm almost 22 for the record.


I think people are using computers more than writing letters by hand.

This is the digital age.  Does anyone even use a pen/pencil and paper anymore?  You seldom see it apart from school classrooms


I barely see it. technology has taken over.

Several of my family members are teachers and I can attest that, at least in my area (southeast PA), the emphasis on teaching kids how to write is diminished to the point where they are basically just tought how to form the letters and create words.  There is no stylization of the letters, and cursive is no longer taught at all.

  "I can't read cursive" O___O. How do you forget?


You don't, but if you never learned in the first place, it's probably pretty difficult to read.

The decline of cursive has been the subject of debate for a couple of years.

X'er here - can read and write cursive, but typically print in block, because I can print faster than I can do (legible) cursive, can type 60-80WPM, can't text worth a damn.  I wonder if I can voice-dictate faster than I can type.  I'd bet I could type faster with a QWERTY keyboard and a really fast predictive engine than I can type with QWERTY alone.  If that's the case, then yes, anyone who grew up texting with a better keyboard layout, even if they didn't have as fast a predictive engine, should be able to out-type me.

You don't, but if you never learned in the first place, it's probably pretty difficult to read.

The people I was referring to did learn it, but it's just apparently been a long time since they've used it. And "can't read it" is probably also a bit of exaggeration on either mine or their part, but I'm sure they just meant it takes more effort for them to read than printing.

I'm from Generation X and my handwriting isn't good. Which is funny because I can sketch and draw a bit.

I always see them texting with their thumbs!  I can type 60 wpm, 75 when I was in shape, but I sure couldn't get a handle on that texting business!  I'd rather write a note and make a paper airplane out of it!
:D

I always see them texting with their thumbs!  I can type 60 wpm, 75 when I was in shape, but I sure couldn't get a handle on that texting business!  I'd rather write a note and make a paper airplane out of it!
:D


That's what I see all the time now.

Because they masturbate too much!
:o

Because they masturbate too much!
:o


that's not the answer but a good one though.

If you look at, for example, a handwritten letter from someone of the boomer generation or older, their handwriting is in most cases neatly stylized and sophisticated. I think most of us when we were first learning to write in cursive always assumed ours would start to look that way as we got older, but most of my peers still have the same child-like handwriting they did in elementary school. Even the girls. Now personally, I think I have nice handwriting, but unlike my peers I actually stuck with cursive well beyond junior high. Everyone else seemed to revert back to printing by the time they started high school, but even their printing still looks like crap. Not only that, but a lot of times if I happen to show friends things I've handwritten, they'll be like "I can't read cursive" O___O. How do you forget? And I don't mean to generalize an entire generalize the entire generation, nor am I saying all old people have nice handwriting, I'm just reporting what I've observed on average compared to the older generations. Is it because we physically write less in the age of computers?

I'm almost 22 for the record.


Ever tried to write cursive with your thumbs?  lol

AND, the big question is... Why did people ever have good, attractive handwriting?  Did they not mind being told what to do and how to do it? Did they not mind "looking nice?"  (Compare Patti Page to Courtney Love)  What about... it takes patience and practice to write well, especially when you first start out and are teaching your hand and your brain how to do it. And you have to WANT your writing to look "nice."  Well, if you don't want your hair and your clothes and your manners and your music to look "nice," why would you want your handwriting to look nice?  "Niceness" came to be associated with stupidity, conformity, conservatism, insincerity, rigidity, shallowness. Gawd, if your handwriting started looking too "nice," you'd right quick mess it up!!  (just an idea.) :)  (nice face)