Adults Lose Skills to AI. Children Never Build Them. (Psychology Today, 3/22)

[Ilikepurple]

58. I have a similar background. I didn't use cursive until I started college.

We had to do calligraphy in one of my high school art classes and that almost killed me. My art teacher even bought a left handed calligraphy guide to see if it helped. Let’s just say I was happy with the C he gifted me as did my 3rd grade cursive instructor. I’ve encountered so many extremely gifted thinkers that shunned cursive other than to get a passing grade in grade school. I wonder how Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Laozi, Confucius, Buddha, or current meme favorite, Sun Tzu were able to optimize their human neurology while not writing words in one continuous motion? I assume, like many motor activities linked with reflection, the us of cursive has positive cognitive effects.
I know Ancient Greeks scholars had a great oral tradition that enabled these thinkers to hone their thinking in interactions with others. I agree about your statement about the importance critical thinking skills. The Socratic Method is not a writing exercise and can be easily engaged in by someone who has never written. The issue is whether it is unique or most efficient in its ability to bring those effects about. I contend that it is not. As a political topic, it is more influenced by nostalgia than science. I’m guessing that learning a second language or establishing and using an English language logograph system would have an even greater impact. But critical thinking does not just plop out of language usage, any of these would need to be supplemented with exercises that actually engage and reward problem solving. Cursive is not a necessary or sufficient condition for cognitive development. If we want to be more cognitively effective, there are skills we need to hone, but there are also numerous and diverse paths to do so.