What the fudge has happened to the way that we type a message to one another or the world?!
Why have we been reduced to using acronyms?
As if it was not bad enough to have ALL our computer programs and typing devices (cellular phones, iPads, etc.), equipped with a spell check and the dreaded auto correct (which in some cases, have lead to many landing in hot water due to the misunderstanding and assumption of a simple word) Was it not once said that assumptions are the mother of all #$%^ ups?
Don’t get me wrong, my grammar and spelling are just as questionable as any other person aged 40 years and below who have been weakened by technology. Heavens forbid I send this piece of work out without performing a spell check! In fact, as I sit and type this, ten red underlined words and sentences stare at me, illustrating my ‘inferiority to the all mighty super spelling computer.
So why are we being forced to dumb down? Are we becoming a lazy spelling nation?
My opinion; I say yes. Our technological growth is dependent on speed and efficiency which is the enemy of accuracy. An example, we all know speed typing in a job interview will earn us a huge shiny badge and even the job itself..
The catch-22 of it is your typing needs to be accurate; therefore you need those darn squiggly lines to help you.
So in essence, you are trading your spelling and grammar skills for speed, and you’re blissfully unaware of it.
Has everybody in the world signed a contract agreeing to this trade off and more importantly, why have I not received this memo?
I might be exaggerating due to the fact that I am not as cool or “hip” as I would hope to be but I am surely not the ONLY one struggling to decipher the acronyms used on the internet and text messages.
By no means am I a bitter dinosaur but when it takes a week to figure out what ‘SMH’ stands for, then I know it is definitely time for a refresher course on street lingo or in this case geek lingo. I use the term geek with the utmost respect as geeks seem to be the forerunner or force in world domination (case in point, Mark Zuckerberg). Could the ‘geeks’ be the root of this grammatical evil? Maybe this is their way of avenging all those years of being victims of ruthless bullies. Maybe their plan is to dumb the world down to a standstill and only the geeks will have passwords for living! A geek-pocolpyse! LOL!
Not likely.
I, for one, am extremely grateful for spell check. I was never really the best at spelling or grammatically correct, so this rant is a bit contradictive. As I take another glimpse at this document, I see an increased number of red lines than stated earlier. However, if it was not for the ever impressive auto correct, there would have been more. All I want is the ability to NOT need spell check this much. Yes reading helps but what happens if I’m not that fond of reading? This is a fact by the way, I happen to not be a friend of literature. I want to be able to write a letter and have the confidence to write it with the most primitive tools; My hands! Oh well. A man can dream can’t he?
Oh and for those who are wondering, ‘SMH’ stands for shaking my head and ‘LOL’ stands for laugh out loud.
Well I’m off to try to save my youth! TGIW!
Figure that one out ;)
By: Shiraaz "Shaz" Ismail
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