End of the fountain pen era, you need to consider abandoning the fountain pen from now onward, i mean it, if digital lifestyle and productivity is what matters for you. It takes me sometime to realize that I go through the typical process, from the fountain pen, ink to various nibs and paper quest for that experience for the past. The less you expose yourself with the fountain pen use, the more likely you are able to breakthrough with modern technology, in particular modern digitalization technologies, such as digital journaling, digital notebook, digital pen direct write on top of the tablet to capture entire experience in the digital way.
If you saw this post from your search, this may provide completely different thoughts for you. As I keep saw people write the good side of it, no one attempt to cover another part of it. This post will complete that, so you access to two part of the fact.
Fountain pen is a well invented stationary and has its role in the revolution, in the paper and pen age or era. We are in the year 2022, where the Internet era began in 1995, regardless of when you start heavy use of digital journaling with or without using digital pen and inking technology. The stationary revolution is from fountain pen to ball pen, plastic pen, and as you notice gel pen, who combines the strengths of the pen is now winning the pen battle.
For those who never expose to fountain pen, for young generation I think you can skip it, it no point for younger generation to commit time and resources with it, where better technology and experience in their time is offered, both digital and in physical stationary, from the ball pain, roller pain to gel pen, if plastic pen is not for you.
When someone tells you, you need a reasonably high price and premium fountain pen to enjoy the fountain pen, this is marketing lair. In modern machinery, fountain pens can be created at relatively cheap and low price, it just depends on the material, nibs size and what ink you fill for your writing. It is a relative hassle to keep and maintain it. Of course it got some truly modern and affordable new generation of fountain pen invented, such as a seal cap to make the ink lasting longer period of time without use, and can see inside with the transparent body to change the heavy metal from the past to modern light material for production.
Since it is not really invented for modern ink, depending on what kind of ink, you may need special paper to have a better experience. Some may say it is part of the overall journaling experience. I agreed partially, as I did realize the world is to keep revolution, better technology is invented to replace dated technology for the past. As modern humans, we need to adapt to the modern way of pen use and technology. Where I can say the color rich and low cost mass production modern pen such as gel pen really keep a lot of the writing experience similar over and in the lower cost and better carry with you. No ink leak risk and carry ink with you, that all is a new contribution from the better fountain pen substitution – gel pen invented.
This is why fountain pen is attempt to sell as premium product, as it can not compete with the gel pen in those dimension. Once you know about what the marketing environment in operate, you start to know why some fountain pen and brand will cost you premium, and since you are not really bought for a utility writing instrument need, but they are sell you piece of man craft. It same like the man craft watch, which now challenge by the reason to wear one. Where if the time is what the function it provides, the smartphone you carry provides a better function for it. Same as well, smartwatches are killing the premium watch market.
No longer the primary writing instrument in modern times, and depending on how it is marketed, it can be marketed as low cost disposable fountain pens item or high premium luxury goods, in particular for those markets based on status symbols, like only few produce in the market basis.
Many prefer more artistic and elegance design of premium and luxury fountain pen, where most of the mass production computers, ballpoint and gel pens seem to lack.
Special remark: I personally possess fountain pens and inks, and have the journaling habits in paper notebooks in various size, but that is what I developed along the year. This post is an attempt to let yours to aware for the substitution in the market. Your journey may not be the same like me, journaling you can use whatever pen you have with you, no necessary to use specific brand or product, that is teach by the marketing influence behind the scene. What really matters is journaling in the way you want it to be, not by other influences. I am not here to propose anti journaling, you can do it in the digital with keyboard or digital pen, or other modern stationary, where I do it daily as well.
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