My objection to the universal application of the Oxford comma (whether it adds clarity or not) is that a comma in written English essentially always take the pl

My objection to the universal application of the Oxford comma (whether it adds clarity or not) is that a comma in written English essentially always take the place of a short pause in spoken English. When used to form a list in spoken English, these short pauses create a kind of rote rhythm: "While you're at the store, buy milk, carrots, rice, flour, and chocolate." In reading written English, the "grocery list" effect can carry over, and I often find it undesirable, particularly for small sets that carry their own rhythm[1]. I don't have any such difficulty with logical style. If anything, it's the reverse: Preserving the original "nesting" makes it clearer how the sentence would and should be read, aloud or mentally. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life,_Liberty_and_the_pursuit_of_Happiness https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life,_Liberty_and_the_pursuit_... (Note that Jefferson's original version with a nominal "Oxford comma" repeats the ampersand as well, which produces a nice alternative effect).