Yesterday, in the wee hours of the morning, I flipped on the TV in hopes that it would lull me back to sleep. Instead, there was a very "non-soporific" discussion on one of the news stations about what the college class of 2014 will be confronted with. Among other things was the fact that they will neither use nor understand cursive writing, since that age group has dabbled on a keyboard virtually since birth. Sad--not so much that they can't write it (There ARE other ways to communicate these days), but that they can't read it. This means that much original research will be unavailable to them and in my opinion, it also means that some very pleasurable opportunities in life will be lost to them. For example, one of the highlights of my travels is seeking out museums where old manuscripts are on display. It's a visceral experience, and I cherish each encounter. Love letters, scientific journals, political treatises--imagine not being able to decipher them simply because you can't read the script.
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