Today, many people look at the fountain pen as an antiquated piece of technology. The first people to use quills and ink must have looked at stone tablets in nearly the same way. The fountain pen is something I put on my top 10 list for last minute holiday gifts. The reasoning behind this was well-thought out and I’d like to take some time to talk about the subject.
The fountain pen is a beacon of a different bygone era, an era where handwriting was treasured and people took time to write. In the past, the fountain pen often took a utilitarian role as well. People had to write and at the time, the fountain pen was the best tool for the job. Fountain pens ranged from the simple economical writing implement to something entirely different that could very much be considered a status symbol.
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Fountain pens are still revered by a select audience today. While the rollerball may have eclipsed the fountain pen because of its ease of use and low price, many still consider the fountain pen as the superior option. Many people consider writing with a fountain pen to be a more enjoyable and personable than writing with a generic disposable pen.
Much like it was in the past, the fountain pen of today can either be economical or can make a bit of a statement. Some pens are intricately designed and can fetch very hefty prices. Are they worth it though? Is an antiquated piece of technology really worth spending your hard earned money on?
The short answer is maybe, really it depends on the person and their writing habits. Fountain pens (on the low end of the price range) can be a more economical option than rollerball pens over time. This is because when they run out of ink, you simply refill them, rather than replacing the whole mechanism. Fountain pens also encourage positive writing habits (especially for students).
They do require a bit more maintenance than a rollerball pen does, but the tradeoff is often worth it. In some environments, a fountain pen may not be the ideal writing instrument. However, if your normal habitat is an office or classroom, a fountain pen can be a great addition to your everyday-carry items. If you work outdoors or in an environment where your precious pen may be damaged, a fountain pen (or at least a very nice fountain pen) may not be the right fit.
Fountain pens also offer some great benefits that are not found in rollerball pens. There's a plethora of ink choices to suit any taste, and tons of different options for pen designs exist. They encourage more beautiful handwriting and they encourage good note taking habits for college students. Personally, I found myself to be too distracted in class during the fall semester. The solution? Obviously, to buy a few good fountain pens! Now, I am taking much better notes and, if anything, I find myself staring at my beautiful pen instead of my cell phone.
While fountain pens may not be right for everyone, they’ve found a way into my daily carry essentials, as well as my heart. I’ll stop short of calling standard rollerballs “peasant scratch sticks,” as I’ve read in some corners of the Internet. Rollerballs are the preferred writing instrument of most people today and serve a definite purpose. However, for the discerning writer, the dedicated student and those who want to write boldly; a fountain pen is simply the best that money can buy.
