# The marginalization of touch in a digital world

Source: https://substack.com/@anu/p-147769930
Kiwi News: https://news.kiwistand.com/stories/The-marginalization-of-touch-in-a-digital-world?index=0x66cf739c769cadb7119321fa8debdc85d8e20496931eb614d5eb1d95cb5fad54e10a5a15
Submitted by macbudkowski.eth on 2024-08-28 UTC, 3 upvotes, 4 comments

## Summary

The author argues that the digital revolution has marginalized the sense of touch, which may be one of its greatest tragedies. Smartphone apps have replaced many physical tools and objects, including pens, paper, calculators, notebooks, wallets, credit cards, photos, maps and video games. While the author acknowledges these apps are convenient, cost-efficient and space-saving, the shift has left the author feeling a "texture withdrawal" and a longing for the feel of sketch paper and rugs.

## Article

via The New York Times

One of the greatest tragedies of the digital revolution, of the smartphone revolution, may be how it’s completely marginalized one of our five senses: touch.1

The sheer number of tools and toys that have been replaced by an app on my phone is mind blowing. Pen, paper, calculator, notebook, novel, telephone, wall clock, wallet, credit cards, photos, maps, video games. Sure, it’s convenient, cost-efficient, and space-saving, but it’s thrown me into a serious case of texture withdrawal. I yearn to feel the coarseness of sketch paper and the silky fibers of an extravagant floor rug.

## Comments

**naomiii.eth**: I find myself in this. I'm barely reading any books on a device anymore. I also got back into notebooks and writing things down with my shitty handwriting. 

I am reminded of this article by Han on Heidegger's hand: https://www.beyng.com/docs/ByungChulHan-HeideggersHand.html 

Touch is how we learn to understand the world. I don't think it's a coincidence that babies grab everything in their vicinity. I reckon we rob small kids, especially of some very helpful learning, if we get them hooked on tablets so early on. 

**macbudkowski.eth**: +1.

Would love to have a semi-digital typewriter, so I could store my files online.

There used to be a project called Hemingwrite (https://hemingwrite.com/), but not sure how it went :) 

**tim**: Byung-Chul Han is da goat

**frotograf.eth**: Love to write by hand (on paper), i'm doin my presentaiton for ethwaw on paper and then - move it to canva :D