Cursive writing, though formal and elegant, is a dwindling skill. Many friends I’ve spoken to say that they or their little siblings are unable to write in cursive. While this isn’t the most tragic thing ever, I find it a little sad that we no longer value a once-commonplace art.
My appreciation for cursive started when I learned calligraphy. It’s a writing style that requires careful precision. You have to put a lot of thought into the font you use. While it’s different from cursive, learning about calligraphy led to an increased interest in my own natural handwriting and a mission to improve the way I write. Calligraphy has also led to a better understanding of how and why we write.
There are many reasons people don’t know how to write in cursive or choose not to. It’s become pretty obsolete in a society where most writing assignments are done on Google Docs, and speed is far more valuable than aesthetic. Beyond that, cursive is an intimidating style of writing to learn. For people who have been writing in print since kindergarten – the vast majority of us – cursive is not something that comes easily. The letters look weird, and everything has to be connected. Who has the time to learn it?
Despite all of this, I believe it’s worth practicing. While it may not seem important, there are still benefits. It’s a recognized truth that everyone’s handwriting is a unique part of their identity. That’s why we sign official documents. A symbol can be forged, but a signature is nearly impossible to replicate. As long as it’s consistent, it has been common practice to sign one’s name in cursive, and a signature can look like whatever you want. If people no longer know cursive, it completely changes the idea of a signature. It’s hard to imagine people printing their names or putting an artless scribble as their signature. Everyone should at least be able to write their own name in cursive, if nothing else.
There are more practical reasons, as well, for why you should also at least be able to read cursive. Although many people don’t write in cursive, there are still some who do. In addition, there are lots of people who print but write certain letters in a cursive style. I’ve seen several teachers do as such. If you’ve never learned how to write in cursive, chances are it’s difficult to read. Many letters look different than their printed counterparts. Without exposure, some people’s writing may be completely illegible to others.
Cursive isn’t a life-or-death skill, but at this point in time, it’s still a rite of passage and a helpful tool.
