I went back and forth trying to decide if this was the proper platform to write this article on. For one thing, the whole point of this article is to address how technology is completely corrupting the power of the written word, and for another, not many millennials seem to care about why writing is so important. Given that, I realized that perhaps this is the EXACT platform to write on, because not only will this show up on your newsfeeds, but perhaps you also may learn something new from it being presented in such a manner.

A few nights back, I was reading the book Letters to a Young Poet, originally written by Rainer Maria Rilke, foreword written by Kent Nerburn. The book is formatted as 10 individual letters that Rilke wrote to a young man by the name of Frank Kappus who was calling upon him for advice. Although it is primarily addressed to those who are in a creative field and interested in pursuing something that forces them to tap into their artistic side, it can be applicable to anyone.

Within the first 50 pages of the book, Rilke writes in one letter, “I do dislike writing letters when traveling because I need more than the basic writing implements: I need quiet and solitude and at least one friendly hour.” (Kent 45). Now, I know what you must be thinking, why on earth is she wasting our time quoting a book to us that we are probably never going to read. Well, here’s why.

I wondered, after reading this, if perhaps Rilke made a good point. When it comes to writing something hand-written, are quiet, solitude, and time the three things that an individual requires? I would say yes, he makes a very solid argument here. Yet, if we believe what he is saying, what does this mean for our generation? With all the technology that is constantly engulfing us, will hand-writing notes, letters, and cards, become outdated?

Some of you may be reading this and think, “does she live under a rock? It’s already outdated,” and you might be right. After talking with several friends of mine on the types of things they hand write, I received similar responses across the board: “Sometimes thank-you notes, but I usually just send a text, and I guess occasionally a birthday card for my parents, but usually I just sign my name.” Both responses that I expected to receive from 20-year-old college students, and still, I must say I was disappointed by what I heard.

I’m not going to pretend like I hand-write everything that comes to my mind, but I will admit to being old-fashioned when it comes to thank-you notes and birthday cards. I can probably accredit that piece of me to my parents, as they always instilled the importance of both things within me, but I can also say that when it comes to writing anything other than those two things, I hardly ever hand-write.

Before a world of technology, all anyone could do was hand write something to have their voice be heard. They couldn’t type a quick text message to their friend updating them on life-changing news, or hit up Facebook to share their opinions with the rest of the world. Everything had to be neatly written out on a piece of paper, and sent to whoever the desired reader was for it to be acknowledged.

At first, when I thought about this, I felt extremely thankful for technology because it makes things so much more efficient. As a writer, I can’t imagine living in a world where I had to hand write everything I wrote out. Still, I then wondered, is there a type of authenticity that hand writing something allows? Are we less of our “true” selves when we type something out because we aren’t having the full experience?

To spare you from having to listen to more of my old-fashioned viewpoints on such matters, I would like to end with one brief thought: why don’t we stop, take a step back from technology, and try handwriting things just a little more? I’m not saying that some absurd epiphany will come to you if you try it, but maybe you will reach a point of clarity, and a greater sense of satisfaction from doing so.

Who knows, you may discover a hidden talent for writing…