Free Speech

You must know it's always been that way, though, DebnCreme. Sometimes opinions clash and it seems that one's reasonable post has been completely misinterpreted due to the mindset of another.

Pen it's not something that can be taught but if you read some of the posts above you will see many who manage it yet are frugal with the 'I' word. It's not using the 'I' word per se, but more the overuse of it for example in a short 4-5 line post you might find .....

'I think (x2)'
'I was'
'my'
'me (x2),
'I am (x2)
'I might'
'mine'

That might be considered overuse perhaps! #justthinking

Also please note how the above opinion (that's all it is) has been put forward without the use of the 'I' word (except of course in the exemplars)

I think that you are not considering the context of individual posts very well. If a poster is recounting a personal experience to illustrate a point of course they are going to to use I!

Also if one is expressing an opinion why would it be bad to say 'I think'.

Wouldn't it be worse to pretend what was simply an opinion was actually a fact: e.g I think that it is wrong to....
Most people think it is wrong to....
It is wrong to....

The use of I and me makes it clear that the ideas /opinions expressed are that individuals and they are not claiming to speak for anyone else or assuming their view is universal.

Well that's my opinion I accept your view may be different.

Absolutely correct, Pen. It is interesting to note how easy it is to use the passive voice and avoid the use of the personal pronoun. Toddlers learn it at an astonishingly young age.

'The cup broke Granny' rather than 'I broke the cup'. Doesn't alter the actualité though.

Sometimes he use of phrases such as 'I think' modifies the force of what one is saying. This happens where the most obvious alternative to using I think is to write the sentence as a categorical statment. I know this is so because I do it deliberately, with that in mind, quite often as a device to insert less than absolute confidence in what I'm saying. It's a way of inviting discussion because what one is saying is only one's opinion, not necessarily the absolute truth or fact.

In other words, I think is just another way of saying in my opinion.

You mean you don't think the constant use of 'I, me, mine, my' means anything?

OK it's only my opinion from experience of listening to certain personality types and reading their writings. Though it is interesting to note that Mishap managed to express herself quite clearly without using the first person singular once!! Please remember though I did not say there is anything untoward using these words the point was it's when these words are OVERUSED that the 'me, me, and only me' attitude of the writer is revealed.

There may even be a psychological study around this somewhere.

Textual analysis is always revealing.

"You mean you don't think the constant use of 'I, me, mine, my' means anything? "

That's not what I said, aka. I was addressing the issue in a general way from my own point of view. I suppose you could say that I don't necessarily think that liberal use of the first person in a post is a bad thing. I think counting those uses may be a clumsy tool. It isn't one I'd use.

I'm also wondering why you are so concerned about this. If the post gets on your wick for being too self-centred, why not just dismiss the self-centredness and see if there is any actual meat in the post, so to speak?

In short, go beyond the is and mes and mines, if possible.

sorry, Is

Afterall, we are not writing important treatises, only chatting.

I suggest you are being over critical and allowing yourself to get annoyed with a person, or people, rather than actually listening to what they're saying.

Please note the "I suggest" phrase. That suggestion comes from my observations and and my interpretations. It could be wrong, but it's a strong impression I have.

Bags that was in reply to Pen not you. When I was writing that reply your post hadn't appeared. Please don't take that personally.

PS meant to say MiiceElf not Mishap ......apologies.

Off out to the garden now before I upset anyone else.

Either:

Why is this section called 'Chat' if chatting is not allowed? Sadly the words 'I' and 'me' have now to be omitted from communications.

Or

Why can I not 'Chat' on here? Sadly I cannot now use the words 'I' and 'me'.

The first option to me is far too formal and assumes everyone feels the same, whereas the second is just 'my' opinion. Different ways of writing for different requirements maybe?

Aka's frustration with posters who use words that confirm they are expressing personal opinions, has me reaching for another cup of coffee this morning. Thatbags, Pen and Mice, thanks for your responses to Aka's irritation. DebnCreme - don't let this kind of hair splitting get in the way of you joining in the Chat.
What a curious approach to chatting in RL, or when contributing to a forum discussion, if we are all expected to speak in generalisations, rather than be honest when describing our own opinion, or experience.

Oh dear, I have done it again; sorry. I was just offering two examples almost out of interest. Very little (won't say 'nothing', don't want to put temptation out there ) will stop me from chatting, despite my feeling a tad jaundiced with GN at the moment. Thanks for your kindness though Iam

Just another example of the 'last word syndrome' which appears in cycles on gransnet. A bit like the stroppy teenagers whose argument follows the pattern of 'oh yes but.........'. Interesting when the arguments are icily polite and analytical and preferable to the 'sucks ya boo' approach which appears just as frequently. If you take it too seriously Deb it will drive you away - temporarily or permanently - so don't interpret these spats as instructions on what you can or can't say. Go with the flow until you reach the stage when you can't be bothered with ego trips, opt out for a while and dive back in again when a more interesting train of thought appears. I'll follow my own advice now and head off before getting involved!

I think I understand what Aka is trying to get across and maybe some of you are missing it? It is my opinion that she has noticed some posters are full of what they have done and talk about themselves when perhaps it would be more appropriate to answer the OP. Of course it does depend on what the OP is about but it sometimes can look as if it is a sort of:

I've been there
got the Tshirt
mine was worse
some sort of competition
etc.

instead of answering the question or supporting the OP. Sometimes it does loot a bit insensitive.

I am sure Aka is not saying that those words should not be used just not inappropriately.

"I regard marzipan as the most poisonous food I have ever tasted in my life", is not at all the same as, "Marzipan is poisonous". Two "I"s and a "my" in that first sentence. Am I over-doing it?

How can anyone post about what they think on the subject under discussion without using the word "I" ? Stating their opinion in the form of a universal and impersonal truth will get condemnation of a different kind, and requests for chapter and verse. The more they post on the subject, the more "I" and "me" will be mentioned. If they are not, they begin to sound like gurus pronouncing on eternal truths.

Quite Elegran and I don't like marzipan either!

'Orrible stuff, kitty and it is on every piece of wedding cake. Christmas cake and any other celebratory offered to us. Then there are those goodies that look like cute little sugary fruits until they get into your mouth, and the ratafia cakes and those Italian ones wrapped in paper (can't think of the name)
I even thought that the short-lived "new" version of Black Magic chocs that they did for a while had ground almonds in them - I couldn't stand them whatever it was.

No Elegran you are totally wrong it is lovely!