this post was submitted on 17 Apr 2024
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AskBeehaw
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Why pens at all is the real question and the answer is because technology is made to profit those who make it and hindering people from being able to do it any other way and be forced to be using pen and paper helps with that. Things like not giving an option to email a pdf doc instead of a paper copy but only give an option where you have to go to a site to fetch the doc.
Or, in the US at least, signing the bill at a restaurant and writing in the tip (many places also take signatures on electronic devices these days). Or, in work and academic settings, writing on a pad to take notes (many, but not all, schools/classes allow students to take notes on electronic devices these days).
I don't think I've been required to use a pen that wasn't provided to me in the US in years. In other countries, I have though, with Japan being the most recent example I believe. Those situations are extremely frustrating, but when a pen is provided, I generally don't mind. I can't see it being some big conspiracy about pens though - unless you consider the slow adoption of technology in general a conspiracy, which I'd be more open to.
Sure, people only write when they're forced to, and the world is against you typing everything...