Handwriting: Generation Y

DOES TEACHING YOUR KIDS CURSIVE WRITING MAKE THEM BETTER STUDENTS AND PEOPLE? ABSOLUTELY…HERE’S WHY… - Part 2

Examples that illustrate the personality of the dominant middle-zone person: Upon visiting a restaurant where both server and hostess were Generation Y, upon mistakes being made in seating and food order, the Generation Y response was “Whatever” and “Nobody told me.” The hoped-for mature, professional response “We’ll remedy that right away; this shouldn’t have happened” was gone.

In another example, a Generation Y’er was late for work and, when questioned, responded “Hellohhh! I had a hair appointment.” On yet another occasion relating to absenteeism, on being asked why they had reported for work three days out of five, the Generation Y’er retorted, “Well, do you want a good happy employee for three days, or a bad one for five days?”

A boomer told me this story: On observing two Generation Y people standing right in front of each other who were texting back and forth, she approached the pair and said “I might seem a nosy older woman, but why are you two texting one another when you’re standing together?” They replied, “Because we don’t, like, want anyone to, like, overhear our conversation.”

Get the idea? All of the above may very well explain, in part, why many from Generation Y prefer to live at home with their parents well into their twenties (no, Martha, it’s not because of the economy). While I appreciate that not all Generation Y folks fit the examples and descriptions above, many of you reading this, I’m sure, will be able to relate on some level with stories of your own.

So, what does all this have to do with handwritten script? The middle zone (lower-case letter area) is the area of the ‘immediate’, as I explained. Those with a dominant middle zone (termed the mundane area, represented by lower-case letters) and very short upper zone (termed the abstract area, represented by upper loops) want everything NOW. Many boomers were taught they needed to plan and save and then buy that house, that fridge, that car. Generation Y (and soon Generation Z) of the large middle zone feels they want it now and can merely put it on their charge cards, not likely thinking of the consequences until the bills come in.

We are, whether we realize it or not, in the middle of a quiet revolution and its new opportunities. The technical mind-set and different brain wiring of Generation Y and Z make it appear rational for the schools to put less emphasis on cursive writing. But is this really what we want to do?

Although Generation Y and Z have this technical mind-set, it is also crucial to re-institute the now-absent sense of responsibility and consideration of others. It appears that Generation Y and Z have a free pass on these qualities, resulting in the “Whatever” attitude we witness all too often. This consideration of others should not go out the window with cursive writing and other basic skills.