Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2022 May 2

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May 2[edit]

Stationery appreciation[edit]

I may be crazy, but I know I'm not alone at least. What's the deal with feeling a sense of... appreciation (contentment?) when in the stationery part of a store? Something about seeing all the different types and weights of paper, the spectrum of pens and markers and such. When you just state it outright it sounds insane since paper is pretty boring on the face of it, but I've known multiple people who just really enjoy hanging out around stationery, even if they don't have a particular need to purchase any. Is it just from the satisfaction or seeing the display all nice and neat? I have other interests that are seemingly more important to me - and are nominally more visually stimulating! - but I don't recall getting the same feeling while browsing them. For example, I'm a comics fan and it can be exciting to just visit the comics shop, even if you're not going to buy anything, but although the feeling is not entirely different, it's also distinct. Why do (some) people just really love stationery? 70.24.163.91 (talk) 17:41, 2 May 2022 (UTC)[reply]

I did a quick Google search without much expectation, but knock me down with a quill pen, the first result was:
Why I love stationery.
Alansplodge (talk) 18:10, 2 May 2022 (UTC)[reply]
Claudia Winkleman expressed her love for stationary in an episode of 8 Out of 10 Cats, see this fragment (at 6:15)... Prevalence 11:58, 3 May 2022 (UTC)[reply]
You're not crazy. Paper admiration is a cool habit-forming hobby! But why stop at stationery? InedibleHulk (talk) 02:00, 4 May 2022 (UTC)[reply]
Here's a rather nebulous take on what drives consumers as creative beings, or how the timely fulfilment of cardstock orders can fulfill a baser need for nostalgia vibes or something a talking cat might say after a sunny afternoon indoors with vintage paints, glues and solvents. InedibleHulk (talk) 07:54, 4 May 2022 (UTC)[reply]
Sometimes we get mailings from our local weather bureau. The paper is nice and crisp, and has the organization's elegant-looking return address, printed in what could be called a stationery font. --←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 19:15, 4 May 2022 (UTC)[reply]
Verily, at some point in every marriage, there cometh no better head than letterhead. InedibleHulk (talk) 06:02, 5 May 2022 (UTC)[reply]
Some interesting takes above - thanks! And I have a name for it now: "Papyrophilia", which is at least somewhat less messy than some other interests ending in "-rophilia" :) 70.24.163.91 (talk) 20:32, 4 May 2022 (UTC)[reply]
Sign me up as a lifelong papyrophile. I know exactly what you're asking about. I obviously don't know you, but I'm in love with you. -- Jack of Oz [pleasantries] 22:09, 4 May 2022 (UTC)[reply]