Quality Content Writers Group

Quality Content Writers Group  »  Why do I sometimes feel like a Dodo?

Why do I sometimes feel like a Dodo?

by Arthur Webster Just plain honesty
Arthur Webster Senior   Just plain honesty
In another community I am trying to bring to the attention of the members the amount of damage that is being done by stupid, ignorant and ill-advised marketers who use the open forums to circulate their advertisements.

While I am getting some members who agree with me, I am also getting other members, of whom I expected a higher level of comprehension, totally failing to see the point I am trying to make.

I'm a plain speaking guy with strongly held convictions that I am more than happy to submit to the frank examination of my peers, but why do so many of my peers not talk the same language I do?

Does each generation create its' own subtle nuances in the use of words and grammar that will, forever, make it unintelligible to the other generations? Is this what is meant by 'the generation gap'?

I have noticed that young people, nowadays, write as though they are sending SMS messages instead of making a composition of words and phrases. A whole new form of short-hand is being developed organically across a whole generation and, while we of the older generation are not excluded, we will tend to contest the changes and maintain "our" standards.

Am I really a Dodo - or do I just feel like one?
Nov 21st 2007 08:02

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Comments

Cheryl Baumgartner Professional Premium   Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
Considering how anooying that "Text speak" is I guess you've got company in being a dodo.
Nov 21st 2007 08:23   
Sarah Pritchard Professional   CEO, Angel Cuddle Publishing
Hello Arthur,

Hasn't always been like this?

I can remember my parents moaning about my music, my dress sense, my way of communicating and so on.

It's probably a sign of becoming a Dodo when you have such thoughts!

I have such thoughts sometimes too.

I take it as a sign of ageing (oh dear!).

I do shorthand for text messages and my hubby doesn't. I guess he's a bit of a Dodo. It takes him longer to think of the shorthand than it does to type the long version!

When people are putting a comment in a forum, they are very often busy and in a hurry and try to do it as quickly as poss.

I'm an English teacher and proofreader, so very often people's writing does grate on me, but that's not because I'm a Dodo (I hope).

You are not a Dodo yet Arthur. You think about what you are writing and try to write it the best you can. I must say, you write very well and it is usually a pleasure to read your posts (even when I don't agree with everything the Old Coot says).

Keep up your standards so that they don't become extinct. I'm behind you all the way.

Angel cuddles,
Sarah
ps I wrote this in a hurry so I hope there weren't too many mistakes!
Nov 21st 2007 08:26   
Sarah Pritchard Professional   CEO, Angel Cuddle Publishing
That should read:

Hasn't it always been like this?

Spotted my mistake afterwards!

Blessings,

Sarah
Nov 21st 2007 08:27   
Wendy Senior   
"I have noticed that young people, nowadays, write as though they are sending SMS messages instead of making a composition of words and phrases. A whole new form of short-hand is being developed organically across a whole generation and, while we of the older generation are not excluded, we will tend to contest the changes and maintain "our" standards."

That is right on. My conclusion to this is the simple The dodo's themselves can't spell worth a dam.
Tis hardly worth the effort to respond to something that can't be understood by all.

Why bother posting if only punks can read it.

They should go back to the "OLD School" of "Hard Knocks" Where they are taught reading, riting and oh yeah Rithmatic (why did they use the three "R"S anyway.

Wendy
Nov 21st 2007 09:30   
David Schupbach Senior   
I think Sarah hit the nail on the head when she commented: "Keep up your standards so that they don't become extinct."
I think one of the greatest dangers of developing technology, is the things that get left behind. The internet has brought together large numbers of people who do not know how to recognize Quality, but at the same time, if we don't educate these people, Quality WILL become extinct.
We have a great Opportunity here to be the educators, not the educatee's! As a group, we can make a great difference!
Stick by your guns Arthur! D
Nov 21st 2007 09:40   
Jean DAndrea Senior   Retired
Hi Arthur,

"In another community I am trying to bring to the attention of the members the amount of damage that is being done by stupid, ignorant and ill-advised marketers who use the open forums to circulate their advertisements."

I agree with you there - we often see ill-written ads, completely unconnected to
the topic, in various forums across the community.

Yesterday I had the dubious pleasure of deleting at least five of these ads from
my discussions and blogs. They were allegedly from three different people, and
since the spelling/grammar was the same in all, it appears someone has
multiple identities here.

Anyway, I'm getting off topic. No you're not a dodo - just someone with
different, probably higher, standards than others. Please keep them -
I'd much rather read a well-written post than one will bad spelling and
grammar that isn't even relevant.

If you're a dodo, then I just joined the club! :-)
Nov 21st 2007 15:41   
Mark Hultgren Senior   Wordpress Specialist
I must admit I am in that category right along side you Arthur!

Of course, if we were to try and create a sales page using today's cryptic jargon, it would probably make google's #1inside a day and a half!
NowatImenBro!??
Nov 21st 2007 18:30   
David Schupbach Senior   
Jean, several of us have gotten comments that are just adverts. This is one of the reasons I keep all my groups private. This has it's disadvantages, but it does prevent spam. Even so, I get several group applications a week from people who obviously can't read. The QCWG says: for people who have a DEMONSTRATED ability to write QC. Every week, I get at least 3 apps from people who don't even have a profile picture, let alone a blog. To top it off, it also says minimum required HP is 5. Most if not all of them have 0.
Maybe Arthur is right, the generation gap is getting to the point where people can't even understand 'plain english'! D
Nov 21st 2007 21:03   
Cheryl Baumgartner Professional Premium   Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
The "Dodo Club" is filling up fast. And I am proud of being a dodo if it means having more than one functioning brain cell!
Nov 21st 2007 21:26   
Jean DAndrea Senior   Retired
Hi Dave,

At least we know when we come to this group, we're going to get
posts, not ads. :-) Even if private groups DO have their
disadvantages, that's an advantage.


Nov 21st 2007 22:46   
David Schupbach Senior   
Maybe we should have a group Anthem! "....I'm a member of the Dodo club, Dodo blogging is what I love, in every Apsense blogging pub, I'm a member of the Dodo club!" (my apologies to Travis Tritt!)
Nov 22nd 2007 06:21   
Cheryl Baumgartner Professional Premium   Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
That's too funny. A Dodo anthem.
Nov 22nd 2007 07:08   
Rae Steinbrink Advanced   
Squawk! Squawk! Count me in! Do Dodo's squawk? Actually, it's no wonder "miss america's" and other high profile celebrities are having such a hard time answering intelligent questions! Have colleges lowered their standards on the applications? I cannot imagine filling out any kind of application in text "speak" shortcuts. I learned shorthand in high-school as well, but I did not go around writing my letters and such in "short-hand"
Dec 5th 2007 16:22   
Theresa Advanced   
You are not a Dodo at all Cootsy--Sometimes I feel as though the generation of "text" was never taught that there is a time and a place for these things... For everything there is a season. One of which is not to text while driving, but that is another lesson all in itself.

Certain things are better left at home. Laugh out Loud!!!

Sometimes I feel that it is simply a matter of being too busy to give another person the courtesy of actually placing words into sentences and paragraphs instead of rushing about.
Dec 5th 2007 22:37   
Ben Ferm Committed   Manager
Heh!

"I have noticed that young people, nowadays, write as though they are sending SMS messages instead of making a composition of words and phrases."

Easy for You to say, when You know how to do it. And You certainly know HOW to do it.The composing, that is. Sometimes I have to read, and re-read Your inputs a several times, simply because the language and the way You put those sentences together are so welldesigned.
Of course that may Only seem that way to me because of me being a non-english speaking person.

But seriously, in my own languages (finnish and swedish) I have noticed the same tendence to shorten words in the most peculiar ways. In blogs, chatting and SMS messages I can somewhat understand that the need of speed is cruisial, but...

Do You have any suggestions of what to do about this problem, since it seem to be worldwide? And it is catchy too, I guess, since I have noticed more and more people using it. Even me sometimes... (shame on me).
Dec 6th 2007 00:52   
Mike Hunt Advanced   
G`day Cootsy,

you`ll have to put up with my shortened versions of some words
i`m afraid ... lol .. i`m Aussie and that`s actually how most of us
speak. Like "how ya goin`" and "that`s a bewdy" (beauty) ... it
occassionally slips out ... sorry ... lol.

No your definately not a do-do, it`s a reflection of the "easy life"
and laziness this push-button society is producing, young`uns ...
OOPS ... young ones have grown up with text messages, not so
much text.

Honestly, take the mobile phone off a kid nowadays and you
may as well of murdered their dog or something ... lol.

Jeunelle my little buttercup ... you make me
weak with your sense of humour ; )

"Dodo darling love divine, your face looks like a cows behind".

CLASSIC!!

Christopher J.
Dec 6th 2007 07:16   
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