A Sign(ature) of the Times

You may be aware of some of the consternation that has arisen over the appointment by President Obama of Jack Lew to be his new Treasury Secretary. Republicans are outraged by the appointment because ... well ... they're reflexively outraged about pretty much anything Mr Obama does. On the other hand, others with a more practical approach to governance are concerned because Mr Lew has a completely illegible signature which will not look very good on US currency ...

Compare this to some other famous signatures from American history, like John Hancock ...

Or George Washington ...

Or even the current President, Barack Obama ...

There was a time when a person's signature was considered a reflection of their character and importance, and a good, strong, legible signature was an asset. A person's signature on a letter, a contract, or an agreement was a symbol of their honor and trustworthiness, and so the idea of signing is woven into our language, much as is the language of guns (as we discussed in this post). We put our John Hancock on a contract, sign on the dotted line when we agree to something important, sign up to an idea or concept, and depart by signing out or signing off (after we've signed in, of course). On the Air Staff at the Pentagon, we consider a task complete when get the boss's ink on our staff package.

Nowadays, of course, a strong signature is not quite as important as it once was. We still occasionally sign paperwork of course (just try buying a house without signing your name enough times to cause your hand to fall off the end of your arm), but for most common purposes we've gone digital. At the end of each workday I fill out my timesheet and sign it by typing in a login and a password. If you use a charge card, you often sign a tiny digital screen that may or may not accurately capture what you wrote.

Electronic verification of one's identity is rapidly replacing the traditional ink on paper signature. We don't use a wet signature any more when a digital one will do. We click on an AGREE icon instead of signing a 7500-page paper agreement to use some piece of software, or scan our thumbprint or our retina to prove who we are.

The evolving meaning and importance of the traditional signature was discussed in this fascinating NPR article by Linton Weeks - The Great American Signature Fades Away. Mr Weeks writes

"The signature has become a rushed and atavistic formality. We haphazardly scrawl our ways through checkout lines and mortgage refinancings. We don't write — or sign — as many handwritten notes as we once did because we send emails and e-messages. We don't write — or sign — as many checks because we pay bills online … And no one seems to care anymore if our signature is legible or consistent or even our signature. We might as well all be a doctor dashing off an unreadable prescription."

Yes, I'm a traditionalist. I still prefer ink and paper to electrons on ... well ... whatever electrons are arranged on. I'm proud of my signature, and when I put it on a paper of importance I like to think it means more than the simple act of clicking agree at the bottom of a flickering screen.

And you can sign up to that philosophy or not, as you choose.

Have a good day. More thoughts on Thursday.

Bilbo