My Grandma Isn’t Yelling At You, She Just Types That Way

Summary

The article discusses the challenges of online communication, emphasizing the importance of understanding and kindness, especially when interpreting others' intentions based on their typing style, such as the use of all caps which may be mistaken for yelling but could simply be a result of physical limitations like poor eyesight.

Abstract

In the digital age, online interactions have become a significant part of our daily lives, yet they present unique challenges in conveying and interpreting tone and intention. The author illustrates this through the example of their grandmother, who types in all capital letters due to visual and physical limitations, often being perceived as abrupt or rude online. This highlights the broader issue of how easily text can be misinterpreted without the non-verbal cues present in face-to-face communication. The article suggests that people should be more understanding and patient with each other online, as the person behind the screen might be struggling with their own limitations. It also advises on managing one's online persona by using grammar checkers, observing friendly online behaviors, and maintaining privacy and safety. The piece concludes by advocating for respectful and flexible communication, reminding readers that online interactions are a reflection of our society's adaptability and empathy.

Opinions

Online communication can lead to misunderstandings due to the lack of non-verbal cues, such as interpreting all caps as yelling.
People should not be quick to judge or take offense to others' typing styles, as there may be underlying reasons for it, such as age or physical impairments.
The nature of online interactions can sometimes be crueler than face-to-face encounters, with individuals being less filtered and mannered.
It's important to manage one's online persona and strive to appear friendly and approachable through careful language and punctuation use.
Online safety is paramount, and users should be cautious about

Online interactions are tricky.

In a fast-changing world, we all need to be prepared for online interactions. Being clear about intentions is a challenge when your personality will be judged based on how you type out your thoughts. It seems unfair sometimes that typing and spelling should play such a big role in how you will be received by an audience, especially when you think of the grandmas of the world.

My grandmother types 100 percent in all capital letters because, for her, it means fewer buttons to push. Plus, with her eyesight at the age of 82 — she can barely see the words anymore. God bless her for being “on the internets” at all.

Unfortunately, as savvy as that woman is in all subjects, she comes across abruptly with her capitalized typing. For this reason, she experiences social-snubbing when she tries to jump into conversations with other ladies in forums and chats.

God bless her for being “on the internets” at all.

None of us would be offended by an all caps note if we knew it was being sent by an old woman with poor eyesight and arthritis in her tired fingers. Think of how many times in your online life that you saw all caps and replied with rudeness. I get it. All caps are the only way people can yell at each other in any font. Maybe the people we all assumed were yelling at us weren’t yelling. Maybe they were old ladies just trying to be social in a world that moves faster than they do.

The nature of online interactions is crueler at times than in a face-to-face setting. People are less filtered on the web, and less likely to use their manners. This might be because they are facing an onslaught of all text messages that they are misinterpreting as being yelled at.

Another thing that is unsettling about online interactions is that anyone at any time can create a new persona. Equally as frightening is within an instant a persona can vanish without a trace. There are plenty of sharks in the sea online, so another important skill to work on is safety.

Because we are limited sometimes to the constraints of our computers for visiting family and for work interactions… there is a lot to learn. We all use social media here and there. Until recently, many people skipped online options for traditional meetings and tasks. Banking happened in banks. Visits happened at a friend’s house or at a luncheon. Dating happened at a bar or a park. Or a nude beach. Or whatever floats your boat.

Now it all has been squeezed into the size of our laptop screens. It is no wonder the world is feeling a little uneasy.

Manage your online social skills with a few simple reminders.

Manage the personality that you exude by typing with the help of a grammar checker. There are dozens of free options. It really helps.

Follow people that you think seem friendly and take note of what they do differently in their language and punctuation. What makes them appear friendly? Try doing the same.

Don’t take anything online too personally. People can and will be jerks sometimes. Don’t be one of them.

Be gracious, and remember…the person yelling at you might just be someone's grandmother. Be kind and patient and cut each other some slack.

Be safe. Never share private, identifying information such as your address, date of birth, or social security number. If you are not sure you should trust someone online, then you are probably right.

In today's world, we need to be able to communicate respectfully and respectably online. That means trying our best to present ourselves in a positive way and being flexible when judging others.

Cheers.