We can take a long look back at the history of ASPD and other similar community forums and find a rich heritage of individuals who have made public issues of typo's, grammar, and even stylistic nuances. Such a study reveals several telling things.
First, those individuals often have never been taught by their mothers that criticism finds a better home in private than in public. To criticize in public is usually nothing more than a cry for attention: "see how smart I am?", "see how important I am?” or “see what a renaissance man I am?" These forums contain private back-channels for just such a purpose. Criticizing others in public usually results in the tearing down of others. Public forums are better used for building others up. History generally finds the public critics displayed high on the great wall of notorious assholes.
Second, public typo and grammar critics often are least qualified to dispense such advice. They work for hours to free their posts of errors yet still reveal their own lack of understanding of often the most basic rules of grammar and composition. They fail to realize--again, this must go back to their mothers--that there is always someone out there smarter, better-read, and more talented than they. Critics must be man (or woman) enough to accept the responsibility of being perfect lest they find themselves the victims of their own policies. Unfortunately, they are often quite the opposite; they are the first to yell when they are criticized. Now, we have to go back to the great wall and change the plaques under their names to “Notorious, Whiney-Baby Asshole.”
Finally, these critics usually fail to realize that our culture today allows for such looseness in our communication. When we post to facebook or twitter via our phones, we often shorten, use acrostics, misspell on purpose, etc. Brevity demands it and our culture accepts it. Now, the wall finally reads, “Notorious, Irrelevant Whiney-Baby Asshole.”
I’m sure there are members of the great typo-patrol who have escaped such a fate. We just never hear from them.
Originally Posted by FLWrite
You are a very wise man and I agree. However, you didn't get the PM's I got, you didn't have two threads started about you (one if which is in an area not all have access to), and you didn't have others contact you identifying you as the actual subject of said thread. So, you couldn't know that this was actually attempted on my part (constructive criticism) in several PMs.
After several inappropriate comments in the "other" thread, I made an executive decision and decided to rebutt the inaccurate statements on both threads, so at least those who knew where the thread was aimed would get a more accurate depiction of what occurred, rather than repeatedly answer to those who were seeing this happen. I'm sorry that everyone is not privy to that information as they might not be so quick to judge. I do think I have a right to defend myself, named or unnamed. Apparently not everyone feels that way. LOL
Personally, I don't care how everyone else represents themselves on the board. Typos are not such a big deal to me and even grammar mistakes are not so horrible. However, I did start a funny thread on the uses of there, their and they're at one time. I admit I make mistakes all the time!!! However, I don't contact anyone claiming how educated I am and then proceed to form incomplete sentences with multiple mistakes, so I advised she not do that out on the open board. I figured someone, not so nice as yourself, might in fact react in a manner other than she hoped for. I was trying to spare her the embarrassment of something like that happening, but she took offense. I also tried to give her some sound advice about writing and editing her posts. Rather than just taking that advice and simply using it, she chose to take the route she did. I think that's unfortunate, as it just lead to more misunderstandings of the what the actual situation was and not everyone has access to all that was said and couldn't know that between the two threads, it would personally antagonize me. Please keep in mind that I didn't bring this out in the open. I only responded to her doing so and have tried to clarify what actually occurred without stating the exact wording of PMs and maybe getting a jab or two in as well, my bad.
I hope this clears up my end of this misunderstanding and wish the best to offended parties.