This also explains why Americans tend to doubt the usefulness of learning cursive writing: it is feels terrible and is quite slow when using ball point pens, but smooth and fast with a fountain pen.
Honest question - What do you see about it as being useful? I was taught to write in cursive when I was younger but I honestly don’t feel like it has ever been all that useful (especially given that most of my communication and writing is done on a computer/smartphone).
It's much faster when you learn it properly and write it with the proper instrument. Ball point pens are awful for cursive, but when writing with a fountain pen you'll almost automatically switch back to cursive.
I've never used a fountain pen, how well do they work for lefties? I sometimes have problems smearing ballpoint ink with my palm, do fountain pens smear more, less, or about the same?
I’m a lefty and fountain pen smearing is an issue. Doubtless there are techniques and inks to optimize for quick drying better than I managed, so I’d encourage you to try and find out for yourself. It depends on how you’re able to position your hand and I’ve only ever managed to write by dragging either all the time or inadvertently when trying to keep my palm raised. It’s a shame because the pens and their output can be quite elegant.
Not really. I also was forced to use a fountain pen in primary school (UK). A strange hold over since only penmanship hipsters use them in real life, and everyone used them to flick ink on everyone's white shirts.
Anyway back to the point, cursive - or "joined up writing" as we call it - is used by most people into adulthood even though nobody uses fountain pens past primary school because it is quicker than printing.
Honest question - What do you see about it as being useful? I was taught to write in cursive when I was younger but I honestly don’t feel like it has ever been all that useful (especially given that most of my communication and writing is done on a computer/smartphone).