To Highlight or Not to Highlight, That is the Question

Summary

The web content discusses the contentious issue of text highlighting on Medium, with various authors and scholars weighing in on the appropriateness and implications of the practice.

Abstract

The article titled "To Highlight or Not to Highlight, That is the Question" delves into the polarizing debate within the Medium community regarding the extent of text highlighting. It humorously anticipates the contribution of Umair Haque to the discussion through limericks, despite his focus on more significant issues. The piece references the perspectives of Medium highlighting scholars Roz Warren, Anna Marques, and Kristen Stark, who have explored topics such as the excessiveness of highlighting and its underlying meanings. The author provides a brief interlude with humorous facts and quotes about highlighting, suggesting a deeper cultural significance to the act. The narrative then shifts to predict the responses of various Medium authors to the highlighting debate, each with their unique, often exaggerated, experiences and advice related to highlighting. The article concludes by encouraging readers to engage with the topic and contribute their own stories, while also noting the prevalence of the term "highlight" across Medium's content categories.

Opinions

The author expects Umair Haque to contribute to the highlighting debate with a series of limericks, despite the triviality of the subject compared to his usual focus.
Medium highlighting scholars have expressed varying opinions on the practice, from its excessiveness to its secret meanings and the social etiquette surrounding it.
The article presents a tongue-in-cheek view of highlighting, suggesting it has a significant impact on one's life, including sexual prowess and historical importance.
The piece humorously predicts that notable Medium authors will soon share their own sensational and often hyperbolic stories related to highlighting, ranging from personal anecdotes to self-help advice.
The author playfully challenges readers to create and publish their own highlight-worthy content, indicating a broader cultural interest in the subject.
There is an underlying satire on the commercialization of content creation on Medium, as evidenced by the mention of a cost-effective AI service alternative to ChatGPT Plus (GPT-4).

And if so, how much?

The very circle of life!! * * * Photo by Kim Rivers-Kirby on Unsplash

I fully expect umair haque to weigh in on this critically important issue shortly, with a blistering series of — extremely highlightable — limericks. This, even though he does tend to focus on the trivial.

Medium highlighting scholars (in no particular order) Roz Warren, Anna Marques and Kristen Stark have already opined scholarlyly on highlighting-related topics (dare I say “highlighted the issues”?): “how much is too much”, “the secret meaning of highlighting”, and “quit ur highly excessive highlighting you excessively highlighting lowlife”.

But there is more to the highlighting issue than meets the eye.

Break for little known highlighting facts and two fascinating highlighting-related quotes

Rene Descartes, Sir Issac Newton, Peewee Herman and “Some Guy Who Helped Write The Bible” … all closet highlighters.

Serial highlighters have the best sex lives (“climax” is a synonym for “highlight”)

Moe “Toxic Juices” Highlighter ruled the Ottoman Empire for 347 years

“I wonder if the highlighter was the highlight of the career for the person who invented it?” ― Ryan Lilly

“The more you leave out, the more you highlight what you leave in.” ― Henry Green

Now back to the story

Once news of the spreading highlighting debate, debacle, disaster and disinformation campaign spreads I fully expect multiple notable Medium authors to weigh in with stories.

Hogan Torah “I drank my own highlighter fluid at a rave then banged everyone”

Christine Stevens “I drank someone else’s barely legal highlighter fluid then had super hot and colorful dayglow pink sex with two smoking-hot serious-looking studs”

Tim Denning “The four success secrets I’ve found while highlighting and working for NASA, the CIA and while jumping out of airplanes”

Kristina God “The sooper dooper kick-you-in-the-ass, bootstrap, highlighting secrets course that’ll make you untold million$”

Ev Williams “Notifications failed to load and the highlighting function is fucked up too, the Medium response to your concerns”

Sherry McGuinn “I’m mad about everything except highlighting … well maybe I’m mad about that too”

Aimée Gramblin “Finding growth, connection and empathy through highlighting”

David Perlmutter “I got there first, so there”

Jessica Wildfire “It’s the end of the world as we know it and highlighting is to blame”

There will be others I’m sure. As a matter of fact, I would urge each and every one of the 9 people reading this story to dream up and publish their own highlight-worthy story.

HOT BUTTON ISSUE

To Highlight or Not to Highlight, That is the Question

And if so, how much?

Break for little known highlighting facts and two fascinating highlighting-related quotes

Now back to the story

A highlight