Most writing sucked in the ’90s, too. And in the ’80s. And the ’70s. And, according to Pinker, people have been complaining about bad writing in literally every generation since the invention of the printing press. So it would be nice — but wrong — to blame today’s bad writing on modern technology.
Sing it, brother! The Typemaniac edited a newsletter over 40 years ago, and he can testify that some of the writing that came across his desk was — to be charitable — an abomination.
What has changed, though, is that books from major publishers and important newspapers are nowadays rife with typos and misused homophones. Sic transit gloria mundi.
(Be sure to read what our fellow blogist, Matrix, says about the state of writing today.)
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