4 ms·

There's a "typewriter shop" near where I live in Philly. It's very charming and run by a guy who, it appears, did make a living as a typewriter repairman back i

There's a "typewriter shop" near where I live in Philly. It's very charming and run by a guy who, it appears, did make a living as a typewriter repairman back in the day. The thing is, these are now more of a hipster lifestyle accessory. There's nothing pragmatically useful about typewriters. They can be beautiful things and have great object appeal just sitting on a (large-enough) desk. I expect that the majority of typerwriter shops in the USA are focused on the aesthetic concept of typewriters rather than their actual utility. There's something magical about an Olivetti Valentine typewriter, for example, it reminds one of a more civilized era (even though it's ridiculous to say that about the 60's). It evokes dreamy romantic visions of writing eloquent prose, effortlessly, without batteries without spell-check. (https://www.massmadesoul.com/olivetti-valentine https://www.massmadesoul.com/olivetti-valentine) The earlier IBM Selectrics, a very different but also magical machine but decidedly not romantic like the Valentine. It uses a metal ball of fonts and has a pleasing motion every time you slap down a letter. It was supposed to be all business and even the colors were drab, but there is something joyful about it. But as writing instruments? F-that! These things suck for writing. They great at cocktail parties though... "Hey, check it out, I got a TYPEWRITER, let's TYPE a LETTER and MAIL IT!"

reaperducer 5y ago
The thing is, these are now more of a hipster lifestyle accessory. There's nothing pragmatically useful about typewriters. The same could be said about smartphones. One person's pragmatism is another's lifestyle. a more civilized era (even though it's ridiculous to say that about the 60's) I think the 1960's were far more civilized than today. I won't have to walk far to find a dozen similar opinions. The earlier IBM Selectrics I have a fondness for the Selectrics. That's what I learned on. I've tried using my wife's typewriter, and it's really not for me. IBM really built a Cadillac with those. These things suck for writing. Like most things in life, only if you suck at it. My wife types letters all the time, to friends in the U.S. and half a dozen countries. There are hundreds of thousands (millions?) of people in the world* who use typewriters every day. Just because they don't exist in your bubble doesn't mean they don't exist. * The stamps on the letters she gets back are a point of delight for me.
- crispyambulance 5y ago
  > I think the 1960's were far more civilized than today. Well, sure, I guess it depends on who you ask too. Really good design sometimes operates like fiction when viewed from the future into the past. It paints a rosy picture of a past era and makes you overlook the bad stuff and focus on what the design is saying to you emotionally. The 60's were a hot mess, but we can still get good vibes from that era-- partly because of the design of objects from back then. > Just because [typewriters] don't exist in your bubble doesn't mean they don't exist. Hey, typewriters DO EXIST in my bubble. I live a few blocks from an actual typewriter shop. They're just not utilitarian items anymore. They're more about style and nostalgia. There's nothing wrong with that. It's great. And if your wife likes to bang out letters on a typewriter to friends that's delightful but also a deliberate aesthetic choice rather than a necessity (pragmatic).

reaperducer 5y ago

The thing is, these are now more of a hipster lifestyle accessory. There's nothing pragmatically useful about typewriters. The same could be said about smartphones. One person's pragmatism is another's lifestyle. a more civilized era (even though it's ridiculous to say that about the 60's) I think the 1960's were far more civilized than today. I won't have to walk far to find a dozen similar opinions. The earlier IBM Selectrics I have a fondness for the Selectrics. That's what I learned on. I've tried using my wife's typewriter, and it's really not for me. IBM really built a Cadillac with those. These things suck for writing. Like most things in life, only if you suck at it. My wife types letters all the time, to friends in the U.S. and half a dozen countries. There are hundreds of thousands (millions?) of people in the world* who use typewriters every day. Just because they don't exist in your bubble doesn't mean they don't exist. * The stamps on the letters she gets back are a point of delight for me.

crispyambulance 5y ago
> I think the 1960's were far more civilized than today. Well, sure, I guess it depends on who you ask too. Really good design sometimes operates like fiction when viewed from the future into the past. It paints a rosy picture of a past era and makes you overlook the bad stuff and focus on what the design is saying to you emotionally. The 60's were a hot mess, but we can still get good vibes from that era-- partly because of the design of objects from back then. > Just because [typewriters] don't exist in your bubble doesn't mean they don't exist. Hey, typewriters DO EXIST in my bubble. I live a few blocks from an actual typewriter shop. They're just not utilitarian items anymore. They're more about style and nostalgia. There's nothing wrong with that. It's great. And if your wife likes to bang out letters on a typewriter to friends that's delightful but also a deliberate aesthetic choice rather than a necessity (pragmatic).