Insert Insight Here...

Writing and Drawing...

First a link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15213845/

Every so often, someone writes an article about the death of cursive handwriting. This is something that had been predicted since pc’s and printers first became widely available. Although the linked article discusses cognitive advantages to learning cursive, most supporters of cursive prefer it for elitist reasons. It’s more about the art than any practical consideration today. A proficient typist can type faster than one can either write in cursive or print, and the typist has the added benefit of a little thing called spell check- an important consideration when one realizes that misspellings are more gauche than hand printed letters, buying a used BMW, or voting for a tax increase. My penmanship was one of the two things that I always lost points for in grade school, so I’ve already shined my special metaphorical dancing shoes for when I get to dance on cursive’s grave. Good Riddance.

The other thing I always lost followed me all the way through high school: art projects. Having no artistic is a real disadvantage in grade school because the teachers all want to show off student art, especially if it contains some hint of learning. I’d like to point out that the perpetual slackers and general idiots always did better than I on these projects and yet they learned nothing. Me? I learned about the battle of Tippecanoe! Oh yeah, I also know who the President, and VP are, as well as the 3 branches of government are along with assorted other tidbits of learning.

My greatest victory came from the fact that my lack of artistic talent hasn’t hurt me in looking for a job, or anywhere in my life that I have cared about. So for all of the teachers that took off points because I didn’t write in cursive, or because it was poor, and for all of the teachers that didn’t like my art, here’s a metaphorical middle finger waving in the air at you.

posted by SumThing @ 10:46 PM