In olden times it was different

“It is, unfortunately, one of the chief characteristics of modern business to be always in a hurry. In olden times it was different.” — The Medical Record, 1884.

Yes. That is 1884. The webcomic XKCD has 19 quotes like this, including:

  • “the art of conversation is dying” (1890)
  • “thirty pages is now too much” (1894)
  • “there never was an age in which so many people were able to write badly” (1891)

I have a fun art project for these quotes over on my spudart blog, “The art of letter-writing is fast dying out.” I welcome any one to participate.

Enjoyed this blog post?

Join the creatives who receive thoughtful Matt Maldre blog posts via the email newsletter
(Whenever it posts. Around 1-2 times per month)

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.