Hey, people!
This morning in German (mother language) lesson we talked about language-development and decay of language through "the texting generation" or "generation Facebook©" (either are names for the generation of the currently 15-22 yr old persons).
In that discussion our teacher gave out a sheet with some SMS texts (the usual short forms: -A: Hw r u? -B: gd, u? -A: fine, thx! gtg 2 c mum, ttyl -B: sure ttyl m8 cya // End of converstaion) and also an excerpt of a forum entry from a photo of "celebrity spotters". In that excerpt someone started a topic, and already named people that may not like it, but they should shut up. He said that he would have to explain largely and thus it would be a longer text.
Further more he described their role to be a moral watch for the celebs so that they can't act like whatsoever, but have to behave. Making some side notes about his person and job, saying: "At work I wear tie, office-guy, money-earning kind of thingy, you all do it." // excerpt ended it the middle of the post.
Anyhow, most of my classmates were shocked by that post, and shocked by the way he talked about his job seeming secondary to his forums.
Asides of the topic, I wasn't shocked at all, found this to be a normal forum post, maybe a bit too personal, but generally normal. Like postings here which start with "swiftus27 won't like it, but I'll write it anyways" (sorry, swiftus, but I could only think of you as you are so often of a contrary opinion to the general public of this forum. Not meant to insult you)
It seemed normal to me, that people write very enthusiastic about topics they like (alias us: writing about airlines, aircraft and economics)
Furthermore our discussion went on, that forums would less show the decay of language than more the decay of society, and that people in forums must be deeply desperated, far off life and social contacts. I jumped in and asked what would be so wrong about posting enthusiastically in forums, and what of that would show a decay of society. I got bashed down by nearly all of the class, that I'd also be such a degraded desperate person...
I for myself feel pretty well, got normal friends, and also good friends (Some of which I met here, and we fly through half of Europe, just to see at least once a year.), thus thinking I AM "normal".
How would you see yourself? Do you think being very active (= > once a day reading what is unread and commenting in case you have sth. to comment) in forums is a bad thing, and shows that one is off society? Am I just feeling it the wrong way, or are my classmates wrong?
I'd be happy to get some input? - Which I'd be even happier to be allowed to give on to my class (of course anonymized) as reference to this being as normal as to call your grandma every once in a while...
cheers,
Jona L.