Tuesday, June 19, 2012

What have we wrought?

There are lots of things I have intended to post here, but I often lack the time and the moment passes. I should probably let this next bit go, but my dander is up, as we used to say. This subject isn't anything new, nor do I expect to let loose any comment which would earn a hallowed spot in the curmudgeon hall of fame.

One of the 'soft news' articles published today concerns people (invariably young - or at least much younger than myself) who use Twitter. Twitter uses a limited number of spaces for quick messages. The results have come close to destroying our ability to use language.

By way of example, I shall site a former resident of Brattleboro who now lives in Florida. He obtained a one hour time slot on our community radio station for which he pre-records a show which I then download and put into our automation program. In an email exchange discussing preparation of a new show (he was under the impression we hadn't used his previous effort) he wrote:

"yeah...the reason y i did do another 1 is because u didnt use that 1 so if u can use that 1 for tomm n ill get u a new 1 next week...."

In a world of abbreviated messaging, I suppose that I should applaud his creativity in communication. I am, however, appalled.

Things just got worse.

The article I noted above records responses published on Twitter regarding recent topics in the news. A current sample: "Who is Rodney King?", "Is it bad that idk who Rodney King is,  cause I don't."

Okay, fair enough. Name in the news, flashpoint for the LA riots, all of that was some time ago now.

But then there's comments like these, tweeted during the Grammy Awards back in February:

"who the hell is paul mccartney lomao he hella old!"

"im about to sounds naiive as F but who the hell is Paul McCartney??? this song sucks btw"

"Who tf is Paul Mccartney. ldgaf. Who he is he hella old too."

Okay, I'm horrified, but I'll let that one go, pop music has changed.

Here's the quotes that really got me:

"Wait! Titanic really happened? I thought it was just a movie."

"Guys, the Titanic was real! #mindblown."

"The titanic was real holly shit im never gooing on a cruise"

I was going to use all of this as a springboard to a minor diatribe against our modern world, but I've reconsidered and I think I'll just leave it there.
 
   

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

One of those cases where nothing really needs to be said. It stands alone.

klahanie said...

Aha,
Text talk, twitter and mobile phone texting.
L O R U O K? I 8 A B B4 I 8 A B I A P.
C U later :)

klahanie said...

Oops, I 8 A P should of been at the end there. Bye 4 now :)

Austan said...

Yep, what Lawless said.

sdt (a.k.a. stevil) said...

Lawless and Austan - yes, sadly, it speaks for itself.

Gary - I was okay when those signs appeared on the NYC subway that noted, "if u cn rd ths msg u cn gt a gd jb". But I've been unable to completely translate much your message. I did get to translate the first part as "Hello, how are you"....