Blog #4 - EOTO

1944: The year of innovation.

The first patent for the ballpoint pen was given to John J Loud in 1888, as he attempted to make a pen that would write on wood. The patent eventually fell through, as it was determined that the device would have no commercial value.

Fast forward to 1938 when the invention really took off. At the time, Laszlo Biro was a Jew living in Hungary amid World War II. After walking into a print shop and admiring the fast-drying ink used to print on papers, he had an epiphany. People needed dependable, transportable, fast-drying pens that could fit in their pockets for easy access.

Because of this, he began designing the first ballpoint pen which ultimately changed the way we communicate. In 1938 Biro received the patent for the ballpoint pen right before fleeing for Argentina. Shortly after he and his brother began selling the pen in Argentina, and the ballpoint pen changed communication forever. 

Humans have been writing for as long as they've been alive- from writing on rocks to writing with Apple pens on iPads, we've always found a way to put the words we want to say in writing. From quills to fountain pens, writing utensils have changed over the years.

"The Babylonians impressed their cuneiform characters in clay tablets with a wedge-shaped instrument; the Greeks and Romans chiseled inscriptions on stone monuments and wrote with a stylus on wax-coated tablets. Three thousand years ago, both the ancient Chinese and Egyptians were writing their calligraphy and hieroglyphics, respectively, with brushes. 5 Quill pens followed shortly thereafter, emerging between 250 BC and 68 AD."

Before ballpoint pens, fountain pins were used. Fountain pens push ink out onto paper with pressure, making it hard to control the amount of ink released and to have a consistent thickness in writing. The pens also had to be refilled frequently, making it a burden for users. The creation of the ballpoint pen made communication convenient and quick. Users can throw the pen in their bag without worrying if it would spill ink all over their stuff. Additionally, the ballpoint pen has been the most lasting invention as we continue to use it today.

The first ballpoint pen was sold in 1944 in Argentina. As the war closed the pen was being sold all over the world. Sales began super high, but as time has gone the pen has become much more popular and much less expensive. Prices started at $12.50 per pen, an unreasonably high number even in US dollars today, and 10,000 pens were sold on the first day. Now, it costs less than 1 cent per pen to manufacture, and millions are made and sold each day. 

Convenience, accessibility, and tidiness are just a few of the many ways the ballpoint pen changed communication. These pens are used in classrooms, banks, hospitals, homes, and battlefields. They are transportable, simple to use, and easily replaceable. In my opinion, there are no negative effects of the ballpoint pen. The creation of it made communication easier and more consistent. The first ballpoint pen had a couple manufacturing issues which caused it to skip on paper and not write perfectly, however, with time these issues were fixed, and the model was perfected.

I can't imagine our world without the ballpoint pen. I use one every day- at work, in the classroom, writing birthday cards to friends. This pen allows quick communication and it is always reliable. Even though there are new ways of communication like phones, social media, and instant messaging, ballpoint pens are still sold and used every day, and they won't be going anywhere soon. Therefore, the ballpoint pen has innovated communication methods since 1944.