It's worth investigating the effect of ballpoint pen technology on society. Beyond cleanliness and general convenience, the ballpoint pen has stood as an example of technological innovation that makes the rounds in one form or another as the central figure of progress, yet there is a dark side to its past. The Fisher Space Pen did its part to promote the American space program of the 1960s and Xi used the lowly ballpoint as a sticking point to drive innovation into the 2020s, but you don't hear about the poor ergonomics, handwriting atrophy, or lack of cursive being taught in elementary school. We need to consider the analog along with the digital if we're going to elevate ourselves out of the mess we're wallowing in. The education system needs all the help it can get, but in addition to one laptop per child, it would be a good idea to give them analog clocks so they can tell time and fountain pens so they can learn the why and how to read cursive.