The Paperless and the Paperfull

My business friend, a successful thirty-something tech entrepreneur, tells me, “I’ve gone paperless.”  

We’re chatting on a sun-drenched terrace in Austin, during a mid-morning break at a tech conference. He says this while quickly sending an email with the title of a book I had just recommended. I ask him, dubious that anyone would actually want to be without paper, “Don’t you like to use paper for some things?”

“Why clutter myself and our office with paper when it’s more efficient to go digital?” he says.

I stand opposite him grasping, in my left hand, my Levenger Pocket Briefcase, a leather wallet that holds 3x5 cards, and in my right hand, a rollerball pen. My iPhone is in my pocket, but I pull out one of  my 3x5 cards (thick paper, smooth, white, personalized), lift it from its leather case, write a website address and hand it to him.

“Is this your business card?” he asks.

“Yes, it’s useful for writing a note,” I say.

“Huh,” he says, and moves on to another friend.

 Being a paper guy at a tech conference is like being a horse breeder at a car show.

 The novelty of the old

My guess is he quickly digitized the information and trashed the card. I’m okay with that. I enjoy writing on my big business cards and giving something physical to people. Part of my enjoyment comes from the fact that handing someone a nice card with handwriting on it is, today, something of a novelty. And it’s not just the paper; it’s that we’re connecting with someone face to face, hand to hand.

Not that I avoid the digital life.

I’m writing this blog on my Apple laptop and saving it in the cloud.

And this morning, on my mini iPad, I was happily toggling between the first book I’m reading (very slowly) in Spanish,  El Ruido de las Cosas al Caer, and its English translation, The Sound of Things Falling. While reading in this way, my iPhone rests beside me. I speak into it my gringo Spanish, which I’m enormously gratified is good enough for Google Translate to recognize and quickly deliver to me its English translation.

It seems, however, that people are splitting into camps over paper: one camp can’t wait to be rid of paper and another camp, of which I’m clearly a charter member, is coming to cherish paper more than ever.

Let’s call them the Paperless and the Paperfull.

The Paperless are waging a war of words and spin to besmirch the reputation of paper.

Paper is inefficient, they say. Paper is litter and clutter. Paper pollutes the planet: “Please consider the environment before printing out this email.”

That paper beat out the Internet as one of the top 10 innovations since cave days is immaterial (paper, #6, Internet, #9).That the Japanese culture has venerated paper to the point of considering it divine matters not. That paper making gives landowners an economic incentive to reforest their lands in a sustainable manner is off the radar.

For the Paperless, paper is their Uncle Sid they wish wouldn’t come to dinner.

The Paperfull, on the other hand, have an awakened appreciation for what a marvelous technology paper is. I say “awakened” because the twenty-first century, with its explosion of digital devices, has ironically kindled a renewed appreciation for this second-century wonder.

Some Paperfulls love taking notes by hand on paper, finding that it helps them think and better remember.

Other Paperfulls like to sketch out their new ideas on big sheets of paper, reporting something liberating about an expanse of a snowy white sheet. They like paper that is theirs and theirs alone, paper because it isn’t public, but personal.

Some Paperfulls (like me) love reading printed books of the perfect size, like Dave Eggers’s 2012 Hologram for the King, so beautifully designed and a tactile pleasure to hold, or Sigurd Olson’s 1976 Reflections from the North Country, with its sepia-colored typeface and softly deckled pages.

Other Paperfulls keep handwritten journals. Some prefer paper calendars.

 “Hail mail”

Some Paperfulls love sending handwritten notes, reporting them a welcome break from their screens. It is the solace that paper brings, the reassuring connection to something made of organic material, the satisfaction of writing a postal address and pressing on a stamp.

Whereas the Paperless crowd likes to call it “snail mail,” why not call it “hail mail” instead? Like Hail Mary and Hail to the Chief, Hail Mail would play tribute to the strength of postal mail rather than its weakness. Faster doesn’t always mean better. Who prefers a fast kiss to a slow one? (Depending, of course.)

Although I’m annoyed at the Paperless crowd for bad-mouthing paper, I defend them, too. The Paperless are the kinds of people who have always moved civilization forward, the people bold enough to strike out for new territories.  

But we Paperfulls are also important. We try to remind our friends not to be too hasty in throwing out the old just because something new and shiny comes along.

I realize twist-off wine caps are acceptable now, but don’t you still love the pop of a real cork? Battery candles make sense on a breezy patio and around children, but who wants to give up a real candlelit dinner for two? And yes, I know my 2006 stick-shift Porsche can’t beat the new automatics, but it sure feels good to shift into third accelerating around a bend in the road.

For me, a veritable Ambassador of the Paperfull, I’m for celebrating both the old and the new delights paper can bring—while also appreciating how my Paperless friends are teaching me new ways of reading and doing.

So how about you, dear reader: do you pitch your tent with the Paperless or the Paperfull? Send me a message and let me know. Just click on the Comments link below with your submission. (If you’re reading this as an email, click here and you'll connect to Comments.)

 

Comments

[Joel Millican]

For me, going all digital can be highly efficient. Meeting notes can be tagged, filed and rapidly searched and found and distributed. I had a boss who told me to quit taking notes on paper for that reason. I get it. There is something different that happens, though, when you put pen to paper. You can't write as fast as you type, so your mind has more time to think and process. When I'm writing on paper, whether it's my journal, which has been and will always remain paper and ink, or meeting notes, I see things differently. There is a creative element that surfaces. It is playful and at times has a spark of genius. Why would you want to give that up?

[Theron Johm]

I'm mostly a paper person. I can't read a book on a Kindle. I have to be able to make notes and highlight in most books. I do have some special books that I don't mark up, but they are still paper. So count me an old paper guy and keep making the great paper products you offer.

[Kim Burdick]

Go for it. I always ask people like that why they are trying to put the tree farmers out of business!

Kim Burdick
Stanton, Delaware

[Marc Newman]

I like the mix of both...at a recent conference in Boca, we were urged to write ten notes a week...I use your great 4 x 6 cards with both personal and business addresses...I love my pocket briefcase, 3 x 5's and the little wallet size as well...the feel of paper is wonderful, as is a book when you can afford the weight, but like you, the assortment of Apple devices enhances my ability to read, even on the subway. I love my fountain pens and fiber tip "roller ball" pen, and my new Stealth with stylus is a thing of beauty and a joy forever...Levenger Circa notebooks let me keep information together in my own unique filing system...thanks for keeping me well supplied.

[Jackie Kampe]

I'll add my "amen" to this Steve: " The Paperfull, on the other hand, have an awakened appreciation for what a marvelous technology paper is." I want to die with a pen in one hand and a piece of velvety smooth Levenger paper or card stock in my other hand!

[Lynn Thompson]

This LOGHL (Little Old Grey-Haired Lady) is with you all the way. I stand firmly astride the line that divides Paperfull-ers and Paperless-ers, one foot on one side, the other foot on the other. Love them both, use them both, the Paperfulls and the Paperless.
Excuse me, I must quickly get to my iPad…I hear it pinging, which means it's my 3-1/2-year old great-granddaughter calling me to FaceTime with her!

[Pamela Tallmadge]

I love the feel of paper, the physical book, and the handwritten letter. I also love the convenience of e-mail and the ability to write and edit on a computer. For me, the shelves of books, the journals, and the stationery provide a mindfulness to my days.

[Jonathan Gordon]

I too find myself constantly trying to balance bits versus atoms. I bought a Kindle. It is very nice. And yet I still go to our local independent book store to purchase paper. I can't help myself. Every morning I bring up my digital calendar and then copy the appointments to my Circa notebook.

I heard that knitting is making a comeback even though people can purchase a knitted pair of gloves made overseas for a few dollars. I think it's the same idea. People want to physically connect more than ever to balance the onslaught of electronics that can overwhelm our senses.

[Claire Phillips]

I straddle both worlds. I love the paperless route (especially my computer and smart phone) but find I can process longer, complex or more detailed information better if I am looking at a paper printout. While emails are quicker, a hand written note says the sender has taken the time to pick out a card and put their thoughts on paper. It is more effort to be sure (especially since you can't backspace when writing), but I still love handwritten cards and letters. As for books, I have both virtual and "real" books. I read extensively. E-books allow me to read and collect more extensivley with the option to delete some book when I'm through with them. Select titles that really speak to me are purchased to keep in my private library. Both options allow me to keep/read without carving out large spaces to house it all. All that being said, there is room for both and I hope the art of handwriting is never lost.

[Brian]

You left us hanging! It's now November 15 and the last entry in the journal pictured above was made on July 23. So, what happened after Ray and Diane moved back to Atlanta? Or, did they?

Brian

PS. Keyboards and other gizmos are wonderfully efficient, but I still love fountain pens, paper, and Levenger products.

[Lynn Buchanan]

Last night we were talking about this. My wife's computer had a glitch. She lost several months of checkbook data, not on the backup either.

I print out each month's important stuff like bank book pages and my flying log book, then put the PAPER in a file cabinet. Also my web page adventures are great, but there are more adventures on paper with a cover on it.

[Amit Y.]

I am, by far, one of the paperfuls. I just think that the sound of the nib touching the high quality paper is something that even the tic-tac of fingers on keyboard cannot equal.
When I take notes in meetings, it is in a Rhodia Webbie or in a Moleskine notebook. I then tag my notebooks the old-fashioned way (i.e. mark them with numbers, and note the start and end date of each notebook), and write a personal, hand written note whenever appropriate (and sometimes, let's admit, even when it not).

I other words: Paper rocks!

[Dennis Fullalove]

I am also one who has one foot in the paperfull and one in the paperless. Digital tools allow me to analyze and reshape the information efficiently and effectively. Paper, for me, has the sense of permanence and thoughtfulness. I do mindmaps on the computer, but I prefer to use the large sheet of paper with the multiple color pens and really think through a problem through drawing mindmaps. I love to write paper notes and letters. Everyone who has received one has commented on it and thanked me for the kindness.

[roberta lang]

Horse breeder-indeed! Then you have a stable full of beautiful horses, as Levenger keeps us supplied with the best Paperfull products in the world. I find speed and efficiency in technology and sacredness in paper. Timeless thinking comes through taking time...the time to wonder, process, create and write. This can be accomplished through both Paperless and Paperfull, as each has its place. I love sending and receiving a thoughtful handwritten note from loved ones, it shows care and time spent in a loving way. AND I appreciate the fact that without Facetime, my granddaughters might not know me the way that they do...we live far apart, and without technology, we would be forced to get to know each other with each visit. There is great beauty in holding and reading a good book. Technology has freed me from carrying two when I travel.
Clearly, the world is a better place for both the Paperless and the Paperfull.

[Rus Stolling]

I refer you all to the recent article "Why The Brain Prefers Paper", Scientific American, Nov. 2013, pages 49-53.
Get it on paper at your favorite magazine display (or library!); or,if you insist, on the net at www.ScientificAmerican.com

[Susan Young]

If it is temporary--electronic. The really important stuff--paper. Decades ago, when using a typewriter to produce the "perfect final copy," I composed, revised, and edited by hand, then typed the final draft. Today, when I want a special final copy, I use electronics to compose, revise, and edit. Then I get out my best paper and temporarily fix it over a lined guide sheet on my light box. Next, I select my favorite ink and pen. Standing over the light box, I carefully copy the document by hand.

[Steve Leveen]

Dear Roberta,

Marvelous. I love your balanced appreciation and your use of the word sacredness.

Rus, yes, I've begun reading the Scientific American article (in paper) and want to get back to it. Thanks for mentioning. And Susan, I remember my grandfather using such a light box but alas, it's been lost in all the moves. Glad you're carrying on the tradition.

My best to you all,

Steve

[John Burbury]

I agree with all that you said. I belong to a fraternal organization, and there are those who wish to eliminate all paper communications, but I welcome receiving something I can hold and feel. There always feels like there is a certain permanance to something on paper, that does not go away. Even though Levenger has a significant presence on the web, I still enjoy the look and touch of receiving your catalogs, and frequently order online after seeing it presented in the catalog. Thanks for sharing.

[David Neal]

I like that digital will replace bad paper, that high-acid content stuff that has fallen apart in my library. My wife loves being able to carry a library around on her kindle. I also like that handmade paper is becoming more common, as the bad stuff disappears. And real sewn signatures as bookmaking is re-discovered.

All that said, I can create a digital thing with artwork by early 20th century artists that will be hard to find in print. And animate them, so digital is really cool. But I have the original books also.

[Steven Finell]

Then why are all you Paperfuls extolling paper's virtues HERE, digitally in cyberspace, in response to a blog post (which Paperful Steve Leveen posted HERE), where only those who pursue digital information on the World Wide Web can read it? Why aren't you all communicating amongst yourselves by writing with a handsome fountain pen on tactilely pleasing note paper (preferably engraved), and sent by mail (preferably in a hand-addressed envelope, for that personal touch)?

Why doesn't Steve ditch this blog and replace it with a with a handsomely printed newsletter, which he can mail to his free subscribers? To pay for the postage and printing, he can give up this website--which costs a bundle to maintain--and go back to conventional mail order. Mail order worked just fine before the Internet, so it should work just as well today.

Supporting the Paperful viewpoint, on the other hand, Steve could have pointed out that the printing press--the old kind that prints only on paper--took first place on the innovations survey. So the printing press-paper duo really trounced the Internet.