A recent study has caught the attention of researchers worldwide: Generation Z appears to be losing a form of communication humanity has relied on for more than 5,500 years.
This ability, passed down since ancient times, is now under threat due to the rise of digital technology and the dominance of smartphones and computers in daily life.
The Decline of Handwriting
Experts highlight that handwriting – practiced since the world’s first writing systems – is now in steep decline among young people.
Laptops, tablets, and phones have replaced notebooks and pens. As a result, many teenagers and young adults type with ease, but struggle to write neatly or even legibly by hand.
“We are witnessing a radical change: the hand is no longer the primary tool of written thought,” explained a professor of education sciences.
Comparison: Previous Generations vs Gen Z
| Characteristics | Previous Generations | Generation Z |
|---|---|---|
| Use of handwriting | Daily, essential | Rare, mostly limited to exams |
| Time spent writing by hand | Several hours per week | A few minutes only |
| Legibility | Clear and practiced | Often irregular and harder to read |
| Keyboard reliance | Secondary, gradually adopted | Main form of written communication |
The Consequences of This Shift
The loss of handwriting is not just symbolic. It has real cognitive consequences, especially in memory and learning. Writing by hand stimulates brain regions that typing does not, strengthening retention and comprehension.
Teachers also report that students often struggle to take fast notes, which reduces their ability to synthesize and organize ideas during lessons.
Why Gen Z Is Abandoning Handwriting
- Digital classrooms, with laptops and tablets replacing notebooks
- Instant communication, dominated by texting and social media
- Less daily practice, as administration and paperwork move online
- A culture of speed, where typing feels more efficient than writing
An Educational Challenge
Some schools are trying to bring handwriting back into focus, with renewed emphasis on calligraphy and pen use. Yet these initiatives remain marginal compared to the overwhelming digital environment.
Researchers worry that this cultural rupture could detach an entire generation from a skill that shaped human civilization for millennia.
Technology’s Impact on Tradition
The slow disappearance of handwriting is just one example of how digital tools are reshaping daily habits.
But here, the stakes go beyond nostalgia: the question is whether Generation Z, and the generations after it, will still keep a tangible link with a 5,500-year-old communication skill.
I am now a retired consulting engineer. In our business being able to use a pen to write and draw is an essential skill. We use drawing to organise and communicate complex ideas. Ten years ago we started putting our graduates through art classes so they could learn to draw.
This is nonsense