So here’s a little something I read while sipping my morning chai and pretending not to check Facebook for the 19th time:
Generation Z is Losing a Skill That Shaped Human Progress for 5,500 Years—40% Are Falling Behind by Arezki Amiri, published in The Daily Galaxy.
And no, it’s not about fixing the printer (which also seems to be a dying skill). It’s about handwriting—good old-fashioned, pen-to-paper writing, the kind that shaped civilizations, wrote love letters, and signed declarations of independence before we all collectively decided “meh, let’s just text.”
The article warns that 40% of Gen Z is falling behind in handwriting. And honestly, I believe it. Ask a teenager to write a paragraph with a pen and you might get a blank stare, followed by:
“Wait… like with your hand??”
The Lost Art of the Ink Smudge
Handwriting used to be a rite of passage. Remember how your pinky would get ink stains in school notebooks, especially if you were a lefty? That was battle scar-level stuff.
Now? We’re raising a generation that double-taps a screen faster than they can sign their own name. Some of them type faster than they think, which is both impressive and terrifying.
But here’s the thing—handwriting is more than just a motor skill. The article points out that writing by hand actually lights up brain regions linked to memory, comprehension, and focus. So it’s not just about looking cultured at a café with a Moleskine notebook—it’s literally helping your brain think better.
And yet, we’re letting it slip. Slowly. Like your New Year’s resolution to drink more water.
More Than Just Fancy Cursive
Look, no one’s asking kids to write like calligraphy monks or to carry around fountain pens like it’s 1893 (although… how cool would that be?). But handwriting brings something personal and irreplaceable to the table.
Try writing a heartfelt message with emojis only. Go on, I’ll wait.
Spoiler: “❤️🥹🙏🔥” does not hit the same as a handwritten “I miss you.”
There’s a reason why handwritten notes from loved ones are still tucked inside drawers years later—and not screenshots of texts saying “k.”
So, What Do We Do?
Bring it back, folks. At home. At school. In your own life.
Write a grocery list. Journal a few lines a day. Leave a handwritten note for someone instead of sending yet another “u up?” text.
If you’re a parent, give your kids a pen and tell them it’s a vintage stylus. (Hey, whatever works.)
Because as the article beautifully puts it: we’re at risk of losing a skill that’s shaped humanity for 5,500 years. That’s longer than sliced bread, the wheel, or the Kardashians.
TL;DR?
Put down the screen. Pick up a pen. Write something. Your brain (and maybe your future grandkids trying to read your love letters) will thank you.
👉 Read the original piece here:
Generation Z is Losing a Skill That Shaped Human Progress for 5,500 Years—40% Are Falling Behind