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From: zwicky@osu-eddie.UUCP (Elizabeth D. Zwicky)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Re: Writing, programming, music and mechanics
Message-ID: <1982@osu-eddie.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 25-Jun-86 09:01:02 EDT
Article-I.D.: osu-eddi.1982
Posted: Wed Jun 25 09:01:02 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 30-Jun-86 03:20:06 EDT
References: <2671@sdcc6.UUCP> <1445@ihuxn.UUCP> <2679@sdcc6.UUCP> <1452@ihuxn.UUCP>
Reply-To: zwicky@osu-eddie.UUCP (Elizabeth D. Zwicky)
Organization: The Ohio State University, CIS Dept.
Lines: 28


Ken Perlow
>You list those subjects (punctuation and grammar) as if they were
>tools of oppression.  But they are actually tools of liberation.
>A person who can write clearly can think clearly.  And a person who
>can think clearly is dangerous.  "Recontexualizing possibilities"
>is pure fog.  If Churchill had used language like that, we might
>all be speaking German.  You are right about one thing, of course:
>No, you *don't* teach writing.
>-- 

You write as if a person who cannot write clearly cannot think clearly.
In fact, it is perfectly possible to be able to think and not to write,
and perfectly possible to think clearly but badly. Writing is a skill. 
One of the reasons it is important is that many otherwise reasonable people
continue to believe that bad writing is a result of bad thinking.

Don't assume, however, that I think you're all wrong; I agree with you on most
points. I just happen to think that you are also subscribing to a widespread
and dangerous fallacy. Good writing is important for many reasons; grammar
and punctuation are important tools which everyone should know; the original
poster does write somewhat pretentiously.  But his heart is in the right 
place. Anything that can get people to see writing as part of life instead
of a malicious invention of pedants is a Good Thing.

	(The order of the above is less than perfect; sorry)

	Elzabeth D. Zwicky