I'm late to the party, but after wading through a bajillion New Year's blog posts on annoying blogger/twitter/social media habits that must end, here's what I think should die:
All that *&;^%#$@! swearing.
Writers do it for shock value. Readers laugh because they're surprised... except it's become so common it's not even mildly startling anymore. Especially when vile words are peppered through the whole blankety-blank post.
Like so many other inescapable, done-until-the-cleverness-has-been-worn-to-bare-threads things, it bothers me. So here's my rant for the trash-talkers:
Do you have a vocabulary problem? Do you really talk like that, or do you have some middle-school notion that you'll be more popular if you offend moms like me in front of your friends? Do you imagine that dropping the F-bomb three times in one post makes you look more clever, earnest and authentic?
Ahh. I feel better now. Thanks for listening.
Never ever go to an Irish or Scots bar. Above all do not read Roddy Doyle's Two Pints. In Scotland/Northern England and Ireland it is not considered clever. Absof....nglutely not.
ReplyDeleteAll good to know.
DeleteI dislike this intensely. It seems the fashion to do this in children's books, too. I'm writing historical fiction and there are grown-up characters - I simple say 'he cursed'. I find the constant use of the f work etc. unpleasant on Facebook also. Good you mentioned it.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Carole. I understand that real people use real language--I'm just bothered by how pervasive and casual it is.
DeleteThere have been many blogs that I like to check and read but when the use of words gets colorful to often, I quit reading and quit checking back to see what they have posted and what they had to say.
ReplyDeleteThat's the real danger, I think. Bloggers don't realize how many people they turn off... or they don't care.
ReplyDelete