I am writing this article with a pen. Not an ordinary pen, but a quill.
It is made by carving a goose feather into a sharp razor shape and then dipping it in ink.
I'm doing this because I spent a year trying to live like the Founding Fathers, trying to learn life wisdom from them, and one of the things I enjoyed most about that year was writing with a good ol' fashioned quill.
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Writing with a quill pen also has its drawbacks.
My desk is covered in ink stains and looks like a Jackson Pollock painting.
Best-selling author AJ Jacobs wrote his new book, “A Year of Constitutional Living,” with a quill pen, saying, “writing by hand changed the way my brain works.” He also used a quill pen to write this article for Fox News Digital and other media. (A.J. Jacobs)
My wife hates the “squeak, squeak, squeak” sound the quill makes as it moves across the page.
But there are also big advantages.
Writing by hand has changed the way my brain works. It's a different experience than writing on a laptop.
“Writing by hand helped me to get my mind flowing.”
When you write longhand, there are no distracting sounds, chimes, or pop-up ads about baldness treatments.
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Writing by hand helped me get into a flow state.
It helped me think deeper and explore the nuances of the topic.
It lends itself to a slower, less impulsive style of writing.
The Founding Fathers hated what we would now call “hot takes.”
Jacobs studied the Constitution for a year, during which he said writing by hand “allowed me to think more deeply and explore the nuances of the subject. It's a slower, less impulsive way of writing.” (AJ Jacobs, Getty Images)
They wanted calm reason to prevail over immediate emotional reactions.
They didn't type an angry face emoji into their phone, press send, and then regret it a few seconds later.
They wrote a letter and sealed it with wax.
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They then took it to the post office, a process that gave them time to cool their thoughts. cold Not hot, but warm.
I'm not suggesting that we all go back to quills and wax seals, but I do support doing more writing and thinking offline.
“They wrote a letter and sealed it with wax.”
A 21st century pencil or pen can achieve the same purpose.
This isn't just a personal preference: There's also scientific evidence to back up the idea that writing by hand improves thinking.
As one Recent Research “The precisely controlled hand movements used in using a pen contribute significantly to the brain connectivity patterns that facilitate learning.”
“I think in this election year, when emotions are running high, careful and moderate thinking is even more important,” Jacobs said. (iStock)
This means that you are more likely to remember information if you take notes by hand.
But there are ways to regulate your thoughts that don't involve writing by hand. I recommend downloading software that will block your computer from the Internet for an hour or two. (I use a program called Freedom when I'm writing on the computer.)
Programs like this give me time to process, digest, and contextualize my thoughts. In this election year, when emotions run high, careful and measured thinking is even more important.
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Often, I write responses to emails or social media posts while my computer is offline. Once my laptop is back online and I'm ready to send the email or post the note, I reread my response. I often revise my response.
I employ a style that is more likely to defuse anger and frustration and lead to a productive resolution.
The Year of Living Constitutionally by A.J. Jacobs is published by Crown Books. (Fox News Digital)
I'm always grateful for that waiting period.
Of course, the Constitution was written offline, and I'm grateful for that.
What would happen if Madison, Hamilton, and other representatives tried to write the Constitution in Google Docs?
Or would it be even worse if they did it over instant messaging?
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I don't think we have a constitution.
I don't think we have a country.
They would never have compromised or thoughtfully addressed the necessary documentation.
Slow is not always a good thing.
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I have no desire to go back to horse-drawn ambulances or 300 baud modems.
But there are parts of modern life that benefit from an enforced speed limit, and writing and thinking are one of them.
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“A Year in Living by the Constitution: One Man's Humble Quest for the Constitution's Original Meaning” The book by AJ Jacobs (2024) is published by Crown.
