1. Modern texting is sloppier than past communication
Many users note that the speed and convenience of phones and autocorrect have made people “type fast and forget the rules.”
“The lack of capitalization and punctuation are just a tell to me that the sender didn’t put thought into it.” – TYPE_FASTER
“It’s not so much typos and laziness as much as incomplete thoughts and distraction.” – TYPE_FASTER
2. Sloppy writing is a status signal for the powerful
Elites are said to use careless language to signal that they have no one to impress and that they can afford to be vague.
“They’re smart at blackmail, lying, cunning, manipulation… but they’re not that intelligent in the usual sense.” – joe_mamba
“A typo‑ridden, lowercase, one‑sentence reply sends the exact opposite message… It establishes a power dynamic.” – dbg31415
3. Phone keyboards and touch‑screen input are a major barrier to quality writing
Users complain that the ergonomics of mobile typing force them to sacrifice accuracy.
“Typing on a phone still is awful… Very time‑consuming, especially for edits/corrections.” – mmooss
“I use a bluetooth keyboard for typing on my phone… The number of people who want to have long‑form conversations through a phone interface is shocking.” – everdrive
4. Grammar and spelling are signals of competence rather than true skill
The consensus is that proper language use is a proxy for professionalism and education, not a direct measure of expertise.
“Spelling and grammar matter more when writing to an admissions officer than to a potential business partner.” – janalsncm
“For most of us, grammar is a proxy for competence. We proofread because a mistake could cost us a grade, client, or a job.” – dbg31415