Even though I had been typecasting for nearly a week, I did not realize that this was the case until typecasting was explained to me by my fellow Typewriter Club LIVE members. Similarly, I launched The Typewritemosphere, which is now officially part of the Typosphere before I was fully aware of what exactly the Typosphere was and had come to understand much about its history. I chalk this up to my typewriter ignorance born out of my typing in relative isolation for an extended period of time early on in my fixation with typewriters.
When I talk of typing in relative isolation, I’m referring to that period of time when I was simply having fun just using the typewriters that I owned before I became aware of the larger community of typewriter enthusiasts that existed elsewhere in the world. For example, I wasn’t aware that Tom Hanks was a huge typewriter enthusiast/collector until I myself was already 2 typewriters deep into my own typewriter fixation. By the time I saw California Typewriter, I had something like 5 or 6 different typewriters in all. Even though I had found my way deep into the typewriter rabbit hole on my own, it wasn’t until I became aware of things like Mr. Hanks’s unbridled enthusiasm fro typewriters or witnessed the things outlined in California Typewriter that I began to realize that there was a much larger community of typewriter enthusiasts out there doing interesting things and having an impact on one another.
It was the discovery of the broader typewriter-focused community that really began to fuel my excitement for these machines. Had I not become aware of and involved with this community, I doubt that I would have made the 50-mile trek to check out a typewriter advertised on craigslist. Had it not been for this community, I doubt that I have started this blog. Had it not been for this community, I doubt that I would be having as much fun as I currently am when it comes to typewriters and typewriting alike. All of which leads to a question that can’t help but ask. What if I were forced to return to typing in relative isolation? Think about asking yourself the same. What would you do, how do you thing you would feel if you suddenly found yourself cut off completely from the rest of the typewriter enthusiast community (assuming that you are a part of the typewriter enthusiast community, which seems likely given that you are reading this)?
Imagine an existence where you didn’t have anyone else to exchange thoughts and opinions about different typewriters with. Imagine a situation where no one else read your typewriter-related blog and where there were no other typewriter-related blogs for you to read. Imagine a YouTube void of videos about typewriters. If there was no one else to share images of your newly acquired typewriters with, would you still be just as excited about them? I’m not trying to bum anyone out, rather I’m just wanting to acknowledge the importane and the impact of the typewriter enthusiast community in general. If that community didn’t exist, how much do you imagine that your enthusiasm for these machines would be impacted (if at all)? How much of you enjoyment related to typewriters comes from the machines themselves and how much comes from interacting with the larger community about these machines?
Personally, I thing that these are questions worth asking. As I alluded to earlier, I know that in my case a good deal of my newfound excitement when it comes to typewriters can be traced back to my discovery of the larger community of typewriter enthusiasts. I’m aware for example, that part of the fun of running down this Voss typewriter that I’m using to create this blog entry (or typecasting entry as the case may b) lies in the fact that I was able to share it with others who would also appreciate it. In addition, much of my recognition of other machines that I wasn’t previously aware of comes from seeing those typewriters that others have recently acquired.
Were I to find myself cut off from the rest of the typewriter community, I have no doubt that I would continue to enjoy my typewriters — writing with them, tinkering with them and just admiring them for what they are. That’s pretty much how all of this started for me to begin with. But I also realize that I personally am fast approaching the point where I’m not all that sure that if I were to add too many more typewriters to the mix that I would keep all of them were I not to have anyone else to share and discuss them with. That is playing a bit heavily on my mind as of late. I’m curious to know if any of you have ever given any of this much thought at one point in time or another. If so, what kind of answers (or simply what thoughts) did you com up with?
For the time being, I’m simply grateful that typewriters managed to find their way into my life adn that I was able to become a part of a larger overall community that shares my interests in these machines. I haven’t bothered to look at any sort of usage stats for this blog since starting it, but the fact that you’re actually reading this right now is pretty cool to me and more than enough to keep me going for the time being. As I started to explore the larger Typosphere, I noticed that many have fallen by the wayside over the years. What that is not unique to the world of typewriter enthusiasts, I couldn’t help but think what a shame it is that some of these folks weren’t able to see and enjoy the level of resurgence that typewriters are now experiencing. Then again, maybe that would have nothing to do with their interest in typewriters or typewriting anyway. Each and every one of us is on our own journey when it comes to life. I suppose that it’s no different when ti comes to typewriters.
(Typed using a 1955 Voss ST24.)
I feel the same way: I’d love typewriters regardless, but being able to trade insights and anecdotes and boasts with others makes it far more fun.
I realize that the power, influence and support of a larger enthusiast community isn’t unique to typewriters and I’ve thought about this same concept of being isolated from that community when it comes to other things that I’m passionate about. However, for me there is something particularly interesting (as well as ironic) about the thought of being isolated from that community when it comes to typewriters specifically (in large part because these are communication tools first and foremost).
I’ve, for the most part, stopped actively collecting. Though if someone drops one in my lap I’ll accept it. For me it’s about striking a balance with my family needs, which is one way to make my typewriter hobby more long-term sustainable.
Maintaining balance in life can be a challenge at times, yet there’s no doubting its importance to our long term happiness. What’s interesting is that while your active collecting is on pause, you are seemingly filling that void with other avenues of exploration related to typewriters and in the process are raising thoughts and questions that many of us might never otherwise contemplate on our own.
I guess if there weren’t a collector community out there, I might have two, maybe three typewriters instead of 25. People wouldn’t be writing about their typewriters, and so I wouldn’t be learning about them in the same way. It’s curiosity that’s spurred most of my acquisitions, and without a community, there would be far less available to provoke it.
The early encouragement of Richard Polt was also invaluable in keeping me going and making me think of the over-the-top enthusiasm I had in the first few months as a healthy thing. I wrote Richard after reading his book, and he patiently maintained his helpful correspondence until the point finally came when I realized that I’d accumulated plenty of other resources and didn’t need to make further claims on the time of one of the world’s foremost authorities! 🙂
Thanks for the comment. Your thoughts mirror my own quite closely. I’ll be sure to spend some time going through your blog in the near future, but did manage to browse your collection and see that you have some awesome machines. I believe that Richard’s enthusiasm is as genuine as his passion for these machines. While I haven’t conversed with him regarding any of the machines that I’ve acquired, knowing that he has taken the time read some of my own thoughts is a great encouragement and much appreciated.
I would be curious to know if there are people who collect typewriters and yet have no social connections around them. My hunch is that they would be a tiny minority among collectors. But how can we ever find out? Perhaps the urge to collect is somewhat genetic and somewhat social, as they say about personality, i.e part environment, part heredity?