ludicrous - worthy of scorn
ludacris - name of a rap/hip-hop act, also worthy of scorn
I have seen no less than 12 different writers use the name of an unmemorable ghetto thug "musical" act to imply scorn for a viewpoint or action. This in the last week.
These people actually believe they have something to add to lofty discussion, but they can't even use a spell checker.
These offenders are not limited to people who comment on news stories or blogs, though. Many news reporters are incapable of discerning the different meanings of "affect" and "effect." This in the day of online dictionaries and thesauri!
Some people claiming to be teachers are functionally illiterate, unable to comprehend such simple concepts as subject-verb agreement and pluralized versus possessive. It really is no wonder that most of you don't know any better, since your teachers were also ignorant.
So, here are some recommendations for those who would pin their self-respect on their prose:
Please, if you must use a polysyllabic word, first read the definition. This implies that you can spell it correctly first in order to find it in the dictionary. Second, be aware that the effects of misusing a word include, but are not limited to, dismissal of your argument or position, derisive laughter, and teasing or sarcastic replies to your comment implying your ignorance. These comments are often correct. They are probably usually correct!
Use a spell checker and set it to check as you type. If you have a grammar checker, use it as well.
Learn how to divide your writing into paragraphs, where each paragraph introduces a point, supporting facts for that point and a conclusion. A paragraph should contain about three to five sentences. If you need more than seven, then break the paragraph up into pieces.
DO NOT USE CAPITALIZATION EXCLUSIVELY. IT MAKES YOU LOOK LIKE YOU ARE SHOUTING. This will absolutely garner you no support, and is likely to get you put into the "ignore" filter. GUARANTEED! If you don't believe me, fine, my ignore filter probably already contains your handle.
Get and read and understand a list of commonly misused homonyms. Get a style guide and learn how to use a consistent style in your expository writing. Styles change over time, but consistency is more important than fashion.
Take the trouble to actually have something to add to the discussion. Simply repeating old arguments is the surest sign of immaturity and mental laziness. If you cannot add something, then you have nothing to say. Use your right to remain silent. Adding a shrill voice to the cacophony only raises the noise level, and most thinking people are completely unmoved by noise, except to act to tune it out and dismiss it.
If you MUST call a fool a fool, do so without resorting to obscenity and baseless name calling. Cite an example of the offending (i.e. non-factual) language. Explain why it is wrong. Give facts to support your position. Call them a fool and stop. Do not respond to further postings by that author. Put them in your "kill" file. ( This does not mean to take a hit out on them. It means to ignore them.) People will respect your restraint, if not your position.
If you feel the need for profanity, go ahead and use it, but wait a day before actually posting the comment. You will almost certainly find that the next day brings a new perspective. This can save you untold embarrassment. Only ignorant morons use profanity and slurs regularly in discussions. This is why fools are so easy to spot. It is much easier to bandy four letter words than to actually think.
There's a lot more, but I'm tired of ranting about people who can't wait to show their ignorance. I'll revisit this later.
Peace and prosperity,
conhed
ludacris - name of a rap/hip-hop act, also worthy of scorn
I have seen no less than 12 different writers use the name of an unmemorable ghetto thug "musical" act to imply scorn for a viewpoint or action. This in the last week.
These people actually believe they have something to add to lofty discussion, but they can't even use a spell checker.
These offenders are not limited to people who comment on news stories or blogs, though. Many news reporters are incapable of discerning the different meanings of "affect" and "effect." This in the day of online dictionaries and thesauri!
Some people claiming to be teachers are functionally illiterate, unable to comprehend such simple concepts as subject-verb agreement and pluralized versus possessive. It really is no wonder that most of you don't know any better, since your teachers were also ignorant.
So, here are some recommendations for those who would pin their self-respect on their prose:
Please, if you must use a polysyllabic word, first read the definition. This implies that you can spell it correctly first in order to find it in the dictionary. Second, be aware that the effects of misusing a word include, but are not limited to, dismissal of your argument or position, derisive laughter, and teasing or sarcastic replies to your comment implying your ignorance. These comments are often correct. They are probably usually correct!
Use a spell checker and set it to check as you type. If you have a grammar checker, use it as well.
Learn how to divide your writing into paragraphs, where each paragraph introduces a point, supporting facts for that point and a conclusion. A paragraph should contain about three to five sentences. If you need more than seven, then break the paragraph up into pieces.
DO NOT USE CAPITALIZATION EXCLUSIVELY. IT MAKES YOU LOOK LIKE YOU ARE SHOUTING. This will absolutely garner you no support, and is likely to get you put into the "ignore" filter. GUARANTEED! If you don't believe me, fine, my ignore filter probably already contains your handle.
Get and read and understand a list of commonly misused homonyms. Get a style guide and learn how to use a consistent style in your expository writing. Styles change over time, but consistency is more important than fashion.
Take the trouble to actually have something to add to the discussion. Simply repeating old arguments is the surest sign of immaturity and mental laziness. If you cannot add something, then you have nothing to say. Use your right to remain silent. Adding a shrill voice to the cacophony only raises the noise level, and most thinking people are completely unmoved by noise, except to act to tune it out and dismiss it.
If you MUST call a fool a fool, do so without resorting to obscenity and baseless name calling. Cite an example of the offending (i.e. non-factual) language. Explain why it is wrong. Give facts to support your position. Call them a fool and stop. Do not respond to further postings by that author. Put them in your "kill" file. ( This does not mean to take a hit out on them. It means to ignore them.) People will respect your restraint, if not your position.
If you feel the need for profanity, go ahead and use it, but wait a day before actually posting the comment. You will almost certainly find that the next day brings a new perspective. This can save you untold embarrassment. Only ignorant morons use profanity and slurs regularly in discussions. This is why fools are so easy to spot. It is much easier to bandy four letter words than to actually think.
There's a lot more, but I'm tired of ranting about people who can't wait to show their ignorance. I'll revisit this later.
Peace and prosperity,
conhed
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