As AI begins to invade our academic world and workplaces, making it difficult to discern between human and machine, I find myself going back to basics.
Facing a possible WWIII I find myself typing my thoughts on a WWII Smith-Corona portable, the very typewriter phenom Shirley Jackson used to pen ‘Haunting of Hill House’ and ‘Hangsaman’
I’ve been writing letters, sending them through post. This is a small campaign designed to remind myself that there is a way to honor the fight against false façade, against disinformation and get back to basics.
The story of how I came about this model was a visit to an amazing antique shop. I picked up a 1930 Royal, when I took it to Matt McCormack’s place (Ace Typewriter) for a tuneup we found that an old weld prevented the machine from releasing the keys.
He picked up my Smith Corona, I’ve now dubbed ‘Shirley’ off one of his display cases and proceeded to test type the first opening sentence to one of my novels I’m working on. He’s simply had no idea that the words he’d typed “The Time is Now” was from my story.
It was all I needed. I made the purchase and traded my 1930 Royal for parts.
I believe that we all will learn and very soon, that going back to basics will be a practice more required versus chosen.