01/11/04
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Man, it seems like I only update this site when I need to rant...
...but here we go anyhow.
So I was at work (at the Big Corporate Bookstore) and I saw a book that really ticked me off. I don't know if it will tick you off.
The book is titled The Art of the Handwritten Note: A Guide to Reclaiming Civilized Communication by Margaret Shepherd. I was ticked off already, but the back cover had this to say:
"A handwritten note is like dining by candlelight instead of flicking on the lights, like making a gift instead of ordering a product, like taking a walk instead of driving. Handwritten notes will add a lot to your life. You can still use the telephone or the Web for the daily chores of staying in touch, but for the words that matter, it's courteous, classy, caring, and civilized to pick up a pen."
That ticked me off.
I really hate the notion that if something involves technology, it deprives us of emotion. Why can't a long drive bring emotional satisfaction? Couldn't a well thought out store-bought present make someone happier than a clay ashtray? Can't you see your food better when you turn on the damn lights? And lastly: why the fuck couldn't I express emotion in an email just as well as a "handwritten note"?! It's the same words, and in fact, the spelling and punctuation would be better in an email anyway. This perceived division between the 'functional' and the 'artistic' is seriously stunting the growth of our culture on the whole. I'm not a digital purist by any means - I like long walks on the beach and dinner by candlelight as much as any other guy - but damned if this doesn't remind me of every time I've ever heard some middle-aged man complaining about digital music, saying it will never last because it doesn't have "that warm sound."
It's my belief that "artists" (as it were) should be the FIRST to embrace a new technology, learn as much as they can about it, and then USE it as a tool to enhance and enrich their emotional AND physical lives. Anyone who is truly "creative" would see that a new technology can offer new opportunities to BE creative. Why is it that we're so quick to accept any invention that might make our lives a little easier, yet we are so blatantly opposed to any sort of invention which might in any way alter our being "classy and civilized?"
I wondered all these things and was ticked about it all day.
So when I got home, I did some research on "the Web" (Isn't it funny when people capitalize that? Like "the Lord?"), and found out that Margaret Shepherd's inspiration for writing the book, and apparently her claim to fame, is that she is well-known for her beautiful calligraphy. Then it all made sense:
She's just trying to justify her adherence to a dead and unnecessary art form.
After that I wasn't ticked off anymore; I just felt sorry for her.