A Dying Breed

I find the grammar and vocabulary (or lack thereof rather) of young people quite disturbing. I do understand the need to shorten words in texts, as there is obviously limited space. But it just works on my last nerve if I go on Facebook and every second status update is something to the effect of: “lmfao i DiDN’t du mAh hOmewuuurK!” or “1 L0V3 mY b@B1e s0 Much!” Sometimes I can’t even make sense of it at all. It takes you more time to figure out what this person is saying than reading The Republic by Plato. It’s terrible! I can’t stand it. It’s not only a waste of time trying to type in alternating capital letters, but to try to figure out all the ways you can really murder the English language is so time-consuming.

No wonder the kids aren’t doing well at skul (ahem, school). They don’t even know how to spell anymore. They grow up with a shortened abbreviated disfigured language, and they can’t be bothered to pay enough attention to learn how to properly spell or use tenses. I saw a paper handed in by a grade 12 student. It was atrocious. Spelling aside, the grammar was terrible. 

I pride myself in having a good vocab, to know my spelling is correct and be well read. I wish the young people would realise nobody will care what you have to say if you don’t have anything of importance to say. So come now, stop reading Twilight over and over again. (Relax Twi-hards, I have read all of them, and enjoyed it) I’m just saying that instead of reading it again and again, read something else. By another author. Try something that’s on the best-selling list. Just because you are a teen, doesn’t mean you have to read teen novels. Try something with substance. And do it earnestly.

If you do, you’d be surprised that the next time you open your mouth and have something worthwhile to say, your parents might not dismiss you and actually listen.

Any recommendations on a good read?

Much Love ♥

Social Networking

The age of isolation is long gone. There is no way a person can be cut off from the world if there is a computer and an internet connection close by. How odd, that we have friends all over  the world, and at the touch of a button, we can be in touch. How odd, that you can meet people with similar tastes and likes, but they are on the other side of the world. As the Facebook phenomenon exploded all over the world, it almost completely dwarfed MySpace. Before Facebook, I knew a handful of people on MySpace. Then came Facebook, and suddenly I was in touch with friends from years ago. This is cool, because when you move a lot, you lose touch. But MySpace is now dwarfed by Facebook, and most of MySpace users are muso’s. And so followed the masses of networking sites.

You have Twitter (which to this day, I don’t get the appeal) and dating sites, and even sites like Flickr has started to become a social networking site, where you not only share your photo’s, but your life. I have not yet decided whether this is a good or bad thing. I am on Facebook, I just joined another site (dailybooth), I am on Flickr and I blog. So I really can’t say that it is a bad thing (for me at least). I keep in touch with friends, see what people are up to, share my thoughts, share my work, I share my life. I like it. Some people don’t. But to each his own.

I do find it despicable that people use these sites to lure children into bad situations. I find it disgusting that it might lead to obsessive behaviour, obsessive following or just downright stalking. It’s scary. I hate it that many sites don’t really check for hate speech and bigotry. Many groups are cruel and hateful. I hate that.

But really, if a person is lonely, there are so many places to go, where you can find similar-minded people to share your pain. I don’t think that social networking is bad. I do think it should not be abused.  

So here, if you want to follow me:

http://dailybooth.com/superskinnywannabe

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28057276@N08/

Much Love ♥

Love the ‘Stache

Just wanted to share this… Fun!

Much Love