Does IM Make U Dum?

[Meggs]

Here's an interesting article about how instant messagging has made us "dumb and dumber".

Take a look at this article people, specially the second chapter: "When it makes you look dumb".

Does IM Make U Dum?

"..................
How much time could the student have saved by abbreviating "you" and "because"? Or by skipping the uppercase letters? My guess is about two seconds. Was it worth looking like a bonehead?

The point is, there are times and places where shortcuts are okay, just as there are times and places where tiny swimsuits don't look ridiculous. If you're chatting with or messaging a friend or peer, it's okay to abbreviate. It's probably okay in e-mail, though you never know where that's going to get forwarded or printed out.

But in anything else, it's a bad idea. This includes an e-mail to a boss, teacher, or anyone you want to impress. It includes term papers, cover letters, and even your private diary that you're hoping will some day be discovered like Anne Frank's was, thus earning global adoration for your sly wit and sensitive soul.

.................................."

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[ketu229]

hi meggs

good suggestion.
I agree that one should not use shortsuts, basically it does not save lot of time and it messes your message.
I also believe that if a person is using shorcuts in emails and chatting eventually he ends up doing it unknowingly in some of the places where it is inadvisable or where it creates a very bad impression.

it depends on person to person how to take this but been Doctors we should get rid of it...

ketu

 

[pinktooth]

Hi Meggs ,
nice post.When I first saw it I couldn't understand the subjet only'does IM make u dum' .I try my best not to use shorthands.
Even scott has pointed this out in his interview advice.
I think people should give it a serious thought..

 

[ToTaLLy_TaSha]

I think the only place they're warranted is when you're sending a text message on a cell phone.. there's a limit on number of characters, and sometimes u have to shorten your words if u want to squeeze everything u want to say in one message..

 

[wiztooth]

ya meggs,
even I tend to use shorthand form so often....it became sort of 'involuntary urge' for me ..sometimes it makes me feel that I may forgot the actual spellings... I should try to curb that...thank God I already took toefl...otherwise i would have written my essay in shorthand form

 

[Meggs]

Originally posted by wiztooth
ya meggs,
even I tend to use shorthand form so often....it became sort of 'involuntary urge' for me ........thank God I already took toefl...otherwise i would have written my essay in shorthand form

Thanks Dad that I learned how to type before the "chat" era, otherwise I would had been a mess too.

Now that you mention it, I bet that the TOEFL essay graders have encountered those more than once.