tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1713745736825566907.post8446735274563393681..comments2024-03-21T21:23:09.474+02:00Comments on Paper and Digital: What is the similarity between fountain pens and mechanical watches?Rareshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15163764981301305126noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1713745736825566907.post-83483451886529598842024-03-09T09:59:29.935+02:002024-03-09T09:59:29.935+02:00These "old fashioned" hobbies, and equal...These "old fashioned" hobbies, and equally, the preference for the objects associated with them, do seem to cluster. Fountain pens, mechanical watches, single bladed safety razors, letter writing. I'm guilty of all the above. In my case, it's borne mainly from a desire to disconnect, to live at a slower, or perhaps just more human, pace. My watch tells the time. That's all it does. It does it well. That's all I want it to do. It doesn't attempt to distract me with notifications, sounds or do-dads. I may wind it, but at least I don't have to charge it every day. We live in a world of constant distraction as everything and everyone vies for our attention and attempts to monatize that attention once they have it. Every device we have monitors us constantly looking for opportunities to sell us something, or otherwise profit from our attention. Using slower, non-connected objects is a small rejection of the modern notion that someone, anyone, everyone has a constant right to our mental energy. It's an attempt to carve out a small portion of time and mental space for ourselves. <br /><br />Yes, writing with a fountain pen is slower than typing. Or even writing with a gel pen for that matter. That's exactly what I like about it. Slowing down makes me think about what I'm writing. It gives the the moment to consider if the next line is actually worth committing to paper. Sending someone a hand-written letter in this age truly is something special; it's a present unto itself. The vast array of fountain pens and inks allows me to take joy in writing and make intentional choices about what I do it with rather than being a purely quotidian experience. Enjoying the small things you do every day is essential to living a happy life. <br /><br />I think the return to analog, disconnected devices is an attempt to restore the psychic equilibrium. The world, and all of us along with it swung so far in the direction of being constantly connected, fast paced, ultra efficient, that we've become sick from it. We over did it and now we're finding ways to back away from that lifestyle without giving it up entirely. <br /><br />I'm good with that. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1713745736825566907.post-18537212753739226562018-04-24T18:53:23.891+03:002018-04-24T18:53:23.891+03:00Maybe this is why most people like analogue, it...Maybe this is why most people like analogue, it's less practical :)<br />It's a good thing you are not into mechanical watches as it can get expensive:) For me mechanical watches are not practical but beautiful. I just love the classic designs, especially vintage models, the attention to details, and the sweeping hands. And it fascinates me what you can make with a spring and a few gears (oversimplifying)<br />None of my colleagues where aware of mechanical watches, and most of them where giving me weird looks when I said I wind my hand watch every morning. The most usual reaction was, you know a battery watch lasts you a few years... Now all of them are converts :)<br />I guess you are onto something, beside watches and writing instruments I am also into knifes.<br />Also lately I have seen a resurrection of the film camera. Maybe it is the nostalgia factor and the fact vintage is cool. Or is the fact we spend to much in the digital, most of us working in front of a computer most part of the day, you have a phone on you all the time, connected to the internet, and when you get home you have the option of spending time in front of a PC, TV etc. Maybe we just miss the part in which you use your hands to build or fix something. manual laborRareshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15163764981301305126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1713745736825566907.post-54432516622741118622018-04-23T10:42:34.894+03:002018-04-23T10:42:34.894+03:00A great blog post. Thank you.
I noticed that peop...A great blog post. Thank you. <br />I noticed that people who like fountain pens also seem to like mechanical watches. This is not the case for me, probably because I always had a digital watch, so find an analogue less practical. Then, later I noticed that there also seem to be more connections, e.g. the same people also often like knives or shaving utensils, and other manual or old-fashioned items. Matthiashttps://bleistift.blognoreply@blogger.com