3 ms·

It's not fake rules, its things which make it easier to read a large piece of text. You apparently value being unique and "non rule following" over the comfort

It's not fake rules, its things which make it easier to read a large piece of text. You apparently value being unique and "non rule following" over the comfort and ease of reading of your readers which says a lot imho.

jshevek 7y ago
I think it is unfair of you to assume his motive, and inappropriate to use the idiom normally used to impugn one's character. Would you apply the same reasoning to Cummings?
- organsnyder 7y ago
  Poetry is much different than prose.
  - jshevek 7y ago
    I don't see how that's relevant, as I was talking about the man, his actions, and the presumption of motive. Cummings disregarded capitalization norms in his prose as well. Edit: Maybe you meant: since Cummings wrote a lot of poetry, he is a special case and therefore can be forgiven for disregarding capitalization norms in his prose?
    - bradknowles 7y ago
      It's much more important the quality of the poetry he wrote than the quantity. I can write a program to generate thousands of haikus. Doing so does not make that body of poetry meaningful in any way [0]. [0] Well, other than the fact that it got me a free monogrammed PowerBook G4 Laptop sleeve that was being given away by some people who underestimated the willingness of a younger programmer to beseige them with computer-generated haikus. ;)
      - jshevek 7y ago
        Let's keep this in context. Are you saying that Cummings did or did not 'apparently value being unique and "non rule following" over the comfort and ease of reading' ? Edit: Or maybe you are saying that we should only presume motive of people who don't write great works?
- marcinzm 7y ago
  >I think it is unfair of you to assume his motive, and inappropriate to use the idiom normally used to impugn one's character. The post I replied to basically said that asking for capitalization makes you stickler to pointless rules who won't get far in life. I merely replied in kind to the tone of that post which probably isn't exactly nice of me but I would say it is fair.
buzzert 7y ago
It also lacks professionalism and makes it difficult to take seriously. I certainly hope he doesn’t write emails like this at work.
variaga 7y ago
Indeed. Many years ago, I took a poetry class and on the first day the instructor said (roughly): When E.E. Cummings did not capitalize the word 'I', it was creative and original. You are not E. E. Cummings. If you do not capitalize 'I', you are boring and pretentious. Capitalize your 'I's." Breaking the rules of grammar is good when it adds value to the writing. I don't see how refusing to capitalize added any value here.
- ryanckulp 7y ago
  #TIL E.E. Cummings has this in common with me

jshevek 7y ago

I think it is unfair of you to assume his motive, and inappropriate to use the idiom normally used to impugn one's character. Would you apply the same reasoning to Cummings?

organsnyder 7y ago
Poetry is much different than prose.
- jshevek 7y ago
  I don't see how that's relevant, as I was talking about the man, his actions, and the presumption of motive. Cummings disregarded capitalization norms in his prose as well. Edit: Maybe you meant: since Cummings wrote a lot of poetry, he is a special case and therefore can be forgiven for disregarding capitalization norms in his prose?
  - bradknowles 7y ago
    It's much more important the quality of the poetry he wrote than the quantity. I can write a program to generate thousands of haikus. Doing so does not make that body of poetry meaningful in any way [0]. [0] Well, other than the fact that it got me a free monogrammed PowerBook G4 Laptop sleeve that was being given away by some people who underestimated the willingness of a younger programmer to beseige them with computer-generated haikus. ;)
    - jshevek 7y ago
      Let's keep this in context. Are you saying that Cummings did or did not 'apparently value being unique and "non rule following" over the comfort and ease of reading' ? Edit: Or maybe you are saying that we should only presume motive of people who don't write great works?
marcinzm 7y ago
>I think it is unfair of you to assume his motive, and inappropriate to use the idiom normally used to impugn one's character. The post I replied to basically said that asking for capitalization makes you stickler to pointless rules who won't get far in life. I merely replied in kind to the tone of that post which probably isn't exactly nice of me but I would say it is fair.

buzzert 7y ago

It also lacks professionalism and makes it difficult to take seriously. I certainly hope he doesn’t write emails like this at work.

variaga 7y ago

Indeed. Many years ago, I took a poetry class and on the first day the instructor said (roughly): When E.E. Cummings did not capitalize the word 'I', it was creative and original. You are not E. E. Cummings. If you do not capitalize 'I', you are boring and pretentious. Capitalize your 'I's." Breaking the rules of grammar is good when it adds value to the writing. I don't see how refusing to capitalize added any value here.

ryanckulp 7y ago
#TIL E.E. Cummings has this in common with me