Is Papyrus the Worst Font Ever?

Once on Facebook someone posted a link entitled “Is Nickleback the Worst Band Ever?”  Click here to see the answer. 

I feel similarly about Papyrus font.  And apparently I’m not alone.  I typed the title above into Google and was flooded with site after site addressing the travesty that is Papyrus font. 

First, some of you may be wondering what Papyrus font even looks like.  I won’t degrade my blog by actually posting it, but I will give you a link.  Or you can open up a Word doc and select that font. 

Now, the important question, why do I hate Papyrus?  I don’t remember the exact time or date that I came to loath this font, but somehow it happened.  I think that it first started with Papyrus fatigue.  Sometime in the late 90’s/early 00’s, Papyrus started to show up everywhere.  The most common overuse of the font (in my eyes) started when the Church become a papyrus-lover.  New church logo?  Papyrus.  Series on the Ancient Israel?  Papyrus.  Spa day for women?  Papyrus.  It also began to appear on store fronts, day spas, and menus.  It was such an obvious font and whenever I saw it the font would loudly scream “Papyrussssssss!!!!!” 

However, I think my hatred of Papyrus may have been solidified when I watched the documentary “Helvetica.”  The film follows the history of the often used font (you may know it as Arial) and how it has come in and out of fashion.  Basically, through the lens of this font, the film chronicled the history of graphic design over the past 50 years.  It may sound boring or obscure, but do yourself a favor and watch this documentary.  I learned what a serif was and now like to pretend that I am knowledgeable about design.  I’ll occasionally drop it into a conversation: I really do prefer fonts with serifs.  (Side note, my preferred font with serifs is Garamond)

I gained respect for the craft of typography and Papyrus just couldn’t live up to the nuanced history of Helvetica and other fonts.  One day at my old job, a few of us discovered that we all hated Papyrus.   We laughed at its tackiness and utter failure to convey historicity.  It’s the USA Today in a world of superior newspapers.  It was comforting to know that I was not the only one who was nauseated by Papyrus font. 

I work for a retreat ministry and my goal is to stay Papyrus-free.  Join me in this pledge to keep your businesses and ministries Papyrus-free.  Unless you dig that font.  And now it’s awkward… 

So, to answer the question above, Is Papyrus the Worst Font Ever?  Yes (according to me, and some other people).