This week I deleted a comment left here. The meat of the comment made sense, but it closed with this command: "Get with the times and get down off your high horse."
As a proponent of excellent, courteous business communication, I deleted the comment because it ended with a rude slap. When I emailed the writer, who described himself or herself as "Grammar Police," I explained that I welcomed a new comment without the closing statement. My message came back as undeliverable. The email address Grammar Police had given did not exist.
It's easy to attack from an anonymous disguise. But it is much more effective to make constructive, kind comments, whether we are presenting ourselves boldly as ourselves or coyly with a pseudonym.
My motto is the well known "Praise publicly; blame privately." I am weary of cloaked invective delivered online–attacks on celebrities, politicians, and others who end up in the news. Attacking them rather than looking in the mirror is a coward's game in which everybody loses.
I also object to open criticism of innocent companies. Bloggers and commenters ridicule companies because one customer service person was having an off day or one web page didn't include the information they needed. These assaults hit victims who can't protect themselves. There is no way to throw up a shield against Internet strikes. Is that a fair fight?
I would like to see worldwide communication be supportive. I want to read blogs that praise publicly and, when they want to point out dumb behavior, do so without blasting an individual or company by name.
Am I a Pollyanna, someone who sees the world through rose-colored glasses? If so, at least I can create a rosy space here at Business Writing.
What's your view? Rose-colored? Gray? Or maybe rose-coloured? Grey? Please share.
By the way, Grammar Police was not suggesting that I get off my high horse. He/She was responding to someone who had left a comment. Not kind, not constructive.
Lynn
Syntax Training