Well, I am one of the oppinion that such phrases as "Bastardization of the language" are meaningless, since all languages are fluid entities. I agree that there is a place for formal english and a place for conversational english. However I have had no problem keeping the two seperated. I will agree with you so far as form and grammar, though. I try to punctuate and capatalize everything and am at least pretty good with the former. And improper sentense structure not only offends the grammar nazis, but also makes a post difficult to discipher.

It also depends on what you are writing for. If you want to write to your friends, then you can use whatever lingo you want. If you are writing for an important thing, like a paper, you should use proper English(assuming you are writing in English). Some other things fall in between, like this forum. Though in my opinion, if you are posting something up for other people to read, then you should write it properly.

I make all these amazing comments, yet I feel so ignored. :(
Woe is me. (except shiny) :p

I've been noting them and remaining silent.

Welcome to the Internet -- perhaps you haven't been here before.
What's compounding it is that this is a forum. People tend to scan or "speed-read" through things, often jumping over posts or portions of posts.

And it's not because anyone's trying to be mean/rude. It just happens. Excluding, of course, those who are just lazy.

Sympathy for HoP: 0.

You can survive as a shitty writer. It will be hard, but it can be done. Everyone here is discouraging you because we are almost all writers. Our skills are posessed by a very small percentage of the popluace, and thus are becoming less and less valuable. Spelling, grammar, punctuation are becoming obsolete due to Word and other processors. Companies will settle for shoddy reports because they know they can't get better.

So don't be discouraged HoP. But for the love of God change the name of the thread.

Bad spelling, the death of language? I don't think so... Like someone (too lazy to check) said, language is a fluid thing, and it's a rigid attitude towards it that blocks a language. However that attitude manifests itself, from bad spelling and first level vocabulary to the academician thought that currently has the french language in a death-grip, it's a lack of opening to different types of expression. I feel they are related, anyway, and one can spell wrong and know how to spell right.

I know I do.

Seriously, though, if you think reading the kind of books you're required to read in college will take only 4 hours, you're nuts. I have about 200 pages of reading required for today and it's taken me almost all day. Why? Because this isn't simple reading. This is stuff you need to take your time with and analyze. You can't blow through this and get right to writing a paper.

I can agree with you on this: many school seem to ignore reading more and more in place of writing. This is definitely a shame and something I wish would be ammended. Schools should place more emphasis on reading for several reasons: it teaches them to read more when they're older, helps them understand more complex thought, and, perhaps most importantly, IT TEACHES WRITING.

Anyways: everyone here is telling the truth. Writing is going to be come more and more important as you go up in grade/age. Especially if you plan on going to college. Get used to it and make sure you know how.

If you wanna see some amazing writing, go to http://www.fanfiction.net/u/408430/ and check out some of my work. Dead Fox is a good read, as well as DF2, Quest For Glory Story, Outlaw Tango, etc. The Metal Gear Outtakes are just for shits and giggles, so you can ignore those. Noble Cause is a FF7 fic I'm in the process of writing, so it only has one chapter. Maybe someday everone will be able to write like me. :D

Stay on target, wandering, that post was essentially irrellevant to the conversation, like breaking into a conversation on the chemistry of paints to talk about how good your latest painting was.