Just use f*** paper, man

Why can't we kick pen and paper?

I recently came across this short but sweet essay from Andy Bell called “Just Use Fucking Paper, Man” — 

I’ve given up this week and gone back to paper and a pencil and I feel unbelievably organised and flexible, day-to-day. It’s because it’s simple. There’s nothing fancy. No fancy pen or anything like that either. Just a notebook and a pencil.

It’s a sentiment I’ve noticed a lot of online. There’s been a boom in knowledge management apps, each offering a slightly different way to keep our messy lives and thoughts organized (Andy mentions Notion, Obsidian, Roam, Apple Notes, and more).

Although they’re great pieces of software, after a few weeks or months of using them, we’re left yearning for the simplicity and flexibility of a pen and piece of paper.

In a world of sophisticated databases, digital mind maps, graphs, and links — why does pen and paper seem like the productivity endgame for so many of us?

Because it’s easy.

No matter how flexible a tool for thought advertises itself to be, it’s never truly flexible. We have to change the way we think to fit the rules of the software. We have to enter information into a database the way Notion wants. We have to link our thoughts together the way Obsidian wants.

For our minds, which are inherently messy and freeform, this is constraining! When we have to program ourselves to adhere what feel like arbitrary rules and regulations imposed on us by software, it feels frustrating.

Frustrating enough to make us log out of those apps, grab an old notebook, and start scribbling our thoughts down instead.

(Until we realize we miss some elements of sophisticated software, like notifications and reminders and collaboration, and decide to give the apps another go. And thus, the cycle repeats itself!)

This pattern is why we’re building Kosmik the way that we are.

We want using our canvas to be akin to sitting at your desk with all your papers and images sprawled in front of you. You’re able to move things around, create little notes, invite other people to your desk for a second opinion.

We’re not trying to change your habits or force you into behaving in a way that suits our software.

(At least, that’s not our intention!)

Instead, we simply want to take the habits we all have IRL when we’re thinking and ideating, and provide a digital way of facilitating them.

If you’d like to see this is in action, or have any feedback for us, please reply to this email — I’d love to chat!

We’re in the midst of building Kosmik 3.0, which will be released soon with some VERY big updates, and we’d love your input on shaping our product.

Until next time — 

Your friend, Paul