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New typefaces for a new age of 'e-interactions'
© by Mike Keenan 
I have just finished an article about typeface. Yes, it appears that I will read virtually anything as I grow older. Perhaps it's a futile search for some important truth, an overriding principle that I can assemble and pass on to my grandchildren. I dream about such occurrences. There I am left alone with my seven-year old grandchild. His parents have gone to see the newest 3-D movie. I have a few hours so I say, "Listen Hubert, come over here and sit with gramps. I want to explain to you some important things about life. Unlike your parents, I attended the school of hard knocks, but I will explain that later. Let's get to the heart of the matter. These strategies will make you a happy and well adjusted adult, someone who has a definite set of principles and goals to guide them through perilous times; and believe me Hubert, there will be perilous times. Example: two words jump to mind - Sarah Palin. Do you get my drift? At that point, I would enlighten Hubert about the key items that I have learned during my many decades here on this earth.
But back to typeface which might become one of Hubert's important organizing principles. The lady who wrote the article says that an ever-growing number of fonts are available to download to help us personalize our e-interactions, and so gradually make typeface a more viable replacement for handwriting. More than anything, she finds it's important to simply write for herself in a font "I feel emotionally connected to." The words that struck me were "our e-interactions." I tried vainly to remember the last time that I wrote an old fashioned letter to someone. Not a card, one of those quick, store-bought thank-you's or congratulations or my sympathies, etc. No, a real, live handwritten letter. When I was in high school, I wrote letters to everyone. "Dear Rocket Richard," I might start. I was taught to integrate my ideas by using introductory words such as "moreover," "nevertheless," and "however." My prose flowed like a stream coursing its way from opening to conclusion with my dazzling signature at the end. There would be a brief moment of reflection on whether to employ "sincerely" or "sincerely yours" or "yours truly" and often I merely ended the letter with my name alone without all the superfluous stuff. That's all changed. The writer complains that hand writing is a lost art. I think she is right. Everyone, including me, now writes like a doctor providing a prescription. Pharmacists must take a special course at University in how to read these squiggly items, given their legibility and terseness. I once won a writing contest in elementary school. The prize, which I shall never forget, was a new pair of hockey gloves. I recall even now the wonderful smell of the leather as I write this. Intoxicating at the time. Little did I know about aromas that would later seduce my olfactory system, exotic items from Faberge and Chanel and Lanvin. Alas, our communications have been shrinking in size like TV sound bites such that it is now fashionable, even to superb writers such as Margaret Atwood, to tweet to people in 140 characters or less. On top of that, people are inserting emoticons, little smiling faces and codes such as LOL which was a complete mystery to me until explained as "laughing out loud." Human correspondence seems to be coming full circle, reduced to a series of grunts and groans and don't forget the emoticons. Nevertheless, I've been starting to re-evaluate my typeface. Perhaps it's time for the old Times Roman to disappear. Same with Helvetica. I fancy the name Bodoni. It's bold and I associate it with hanging out with exciting people such as Sting and Cher and other one-named recording artists. I suppose that the only thing I can actually tell Hubert is to be ready for change, especially in typeface. |
