Words fail me

[unixronin]

The mind-boggling stupidity documented in this, and the near-illiteracy of the messages left by the daughter's friends in this, make me weep for the future of our civilisation.

What the hell is wrong with us?

Comments

[mrmeval.livejournal.com]

Before SMS we had d00d speak, my mocking term for l33t speak. Before that there was redacted netmail and ascii p0rn and before that redacted teletype messages and baudot encoded porn.

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

D00D!!! MI N@M3 IZ B1FF!!!!111one!!!!

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

I always thought one of the funniest parts of d00dspeak was how much effort some of'em were obviously putting into it. Some if it was fairly inventive, true, but anything that takes two or three times as long as just using plain English is sort of inherently self-parodying.

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

In defense of SMS-speak, one of the issues they're working around is a 160-character limit. Also, texting using a telephone keypad is a pain. Heck, it's even a pain with the QWERTY keyboards on smartphones. I think I'd play loose with orthography in that situation too.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Also, texting using a telephone keypad is a pain.

Well, yeah, stipulated. So why do they spend so bloody much time DOING it then? :)
(http://www.theaterhopper.com/?date=20080825)

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

I think it's because you can do it reasonably discreetly without disturbing others or tipping nearby adults as to what's going on. Nearby adults, in particular, don't end up hearing half of the phone conversation, so it's also more private. It's also less synchronous than a phone conversation, so it demands less of either party's attention, and if you text someone, they don't have to answer you immediately.

And I say this as someone who grew up in a house where there was one landline telephone, and it hung on the wall in the kitchen, so whichever parent(s) were home got to hear my half of the phone conversation.

[cipherpunk.livejournal.com]

<coughs, approaches the mike> DJ, if you would, Prince and When Doves Cry. Thank you.

dr34m 1f j00 c4n 4 n37w0rk
c0nn3x10nz 0f c0mpu73rz 1n p33r
mu$ik 7r4d3d ph0r phr33
t3hy ph33l t3h $0und
t3h $0und 0f .mp3
h0w k4n j00 ju57 l34v3 m3 p1n913$$
4 g33k 1n 4 w0r1d 7h47 bl0wz
m4yb3 3y3 4m 700 u53d 70 p4nd3r1n9
m4yb3 m3h POTS 1$ 700 $l0w
m4yb3 t3h RIAA 1$ 1ik3 m3h 91rl
$h3'z n3v3r $471$ph13d
y d0 j00 $kr34m wh3n j00 r34d 7h1$
7h1$ i$ wh47 i7 $0undz l1k3
wh3n 3n9l1$h 734ch3rz kry

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

I think I'm glad I don't know the song. That way it can't possibly create an earworm. :)

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

Filkers. You try spraying, you try setting traps....