I don't get it

barkin43

On my FL, there are several friends who are the most intelligent and highly educated people. Yet, when we converse on walls or in PMs, or even when they make or reply to forum posts, they really dumb down their language. What's up with that? Is it a leftover defense mechanism from when they were in school and had to play dumb to fit in with the cool crowd? Laziness?

Do you have any thoughts?

laziness and in a rush to get to the next good thing. lots of thoughts little time. (from a former mensa candidate)

Oh, yeah, I tride out fer that mensa thang oncet butt thay sed I dident meat there rechoirments. Seams lack I dident sea that furst didget in the IQ minamums.

jbutterflye

I got mensa every month. It's not a fun club.

SpeSHul_SnoflEHk

I'm not suggesting dumbing things down. Writing in a manner people can understand isn't dumbing down. It's the thinking behind the writing and the ideas being expressed that show true intelligence. In our culture, grammar, spelling and the like are too often used to determine one's intelligence. I've known a lot of very intelligent...perhaps more wise than intelligent...people who can't write for crap.

I absolutely believe in excellent writing in formal settings. I never correct grammar in casual settings like this unless it's that of someone who corrects the grammar of others.

Honestly, I'm not seeing a great deal of intelligence being exuded in this thread. Are you all giving examples of the OP's point in your posts?

Maybe your dangerous mind is too much for this gangsta's paradise.

Plz stp using ur MS in Professional Counseling to dumb urself down.

I should have gotten an MS in Professional Condescension instead.

DO those exist? I'm hatching a plan for my 5th degree....

SpeSHul_SnoflEHk

I got mensa every month. It's not a fun club.

LOL

SpeSHul_SnoflEHk

Hey, you better not be talking about me now, Lol! actually though I try to relate to other people, even in real life. I don't look down upon people who have less education or make less money than me. I wouldn't want to intimidate or make them feel like i am better than them.

I just want to gently point out that this approach is pretty condescending. If you don't "look down" on people with less education or less money, why do you think you intimidate them by just being yourself and speaking how you speak? Why are you assuming that you're operating on a different level because you have education or money?

Yes. I thought that same thing when I read that.

SpeSHul_SnoflEHk

I'm not suggesting dumbing things down. Writing in a manner people can understand isn't dumbing down. It's the thinking behind the writing and the ideas being expressed that show true intelligence. In our culture, grammar, spelling and the like are too often used to determine one's intelligence. I've known a lot of very intelligent...perhaps more wise than intelligent...people who can't write for crap.

I absolutely believe in excellent writing in formal settings. I never correct grammar in casual settings like this unless it's that of someone who corrects the grammar of others.

Honestly, I'm not seeing a great deal of intelligence being exuded in this thread. Are you all giving examples of the OP's point in your posts?

I suspect that OP would tell you I am the exact opposite of what he was talking about. Could be wrong, but since he professed his love for me earlier in this thread, I will make an educated guess using my [quite useless] degrees, and say I am right.

This is true. I think there is even something to be said for using intelligence in humour while trolling a thread that someone you love has posted trying to be serious.