Fonts- Then and Now

I, much like others in our class, must admit that I had previously never given much thought to typography before. I have always seen letters as blocks of symbols with greater the intention of creating words. Never before had I really thought to look at the art behind the fonts that make up my words. As we started discussing the different types of typography and its evolution throughout the years, one question that piqued everyone's interest was "Is one particular type better than another?" Although a few people seem to think that we appreciate the font that is more commonly used today as opposed to Venetian type is because we are more used to seeing it, I am inclined to disagree. I believe that we are more inclined towards the fonts of today's age because it is systematically easier to read, and not because this is the type font with which we have been trained to read and write. Because the typography of today is much less intricate and elegant, it makes it easier for the eye to recognize the letters. Since less attention is focused on the ornateness of the letter, one's attention can afford to focus on the actual text itself. Yes, the “art” behind the font gets lost, one does not pick up a novel to appreciate art. One picks up a novel to comprehend the story represented by the letters.

One may ask 'what is wrong with a more elaborate text for modern writing?' and my answer to that is that it takes up valuable time. In today's world where there do not seem to be enough hours in a day to accomplish all that one needs to do, the last thing anyone wants is to have his attention diverted by the script of their morning newspaper, business report, or financial forms. When I pick up my Organic Chemistry textbook, I do so with the intention to understand the context of what is written, not to dwell on how lovely and artistic the text is. If I want art, I will go to a museum, not my textbook.

I do not believe I am alone in my harsher assessment of the more classical types of font. I can appreciate the beautiful typography when I deem the medium appropriate, such as a wedding invitation. However, I will feel much differently about the same type if it is used by a fellow colleague to give me a business update, or by a friend sending me an email. There is a correct time and place for everything, and this includes typography. There is a reason why the font that is used today is being utilized as opposed to the fonts of manuscripts all of those years ago: it is simply easier and faster to read. Such a way of thinking is so pivotal to today's demographic that when I was being taught how to present a proper report, whether it be by email, Powerpoint, or handout, I was informed on the many “do nots” of a presentation. These included fonts to avoid using, colors that drained on the page, sizes that were deemed to be slightly better or worse for the general public to read, and even that if one types the same twice, once using all capital letters and once all in lower case, the majority of people will take 13% longer to read the sentence written in all capitals. And in a world where time is money, no one wants to waste precious minutes.