Broad brushes again...was: Re: TECHWR-L Digest, Vol 40, Issue 22

[Gregory P Sweet <gps03 -at- health -dot- state -dot- ny -dot- us>]

Mike,

I replying because you asked a direct question.

The statement was truly offensive to me. I tend to find my identity in my
work, and that work is educating people. To state that education does not
make one smarter, i.e. has no value, is akin to stating that I have no
value. Granted not everyone, and certainly not even all educators read the
statement that way, but that is what it said to me.

IMO it was the same as if someone posted here: "No one reads the manuals,
and help files are worse than useless, why do you all bother? You're
certainly not helping anyone!" And it seems to me that if the comment had
cut just a little closer more people on this list would have felt the way I
did. Just look at all the hubbub stirred up when someone dared to quote a
blog about how lazy technical writers use too much jargon just a few short
weeks ago. <http://tinyurl.com/had-to-say-it>

The point was not to debate the semantics of the terms intelligence,
education, smart, etc. but to remind Mr. Hood that broad, sweeping
statements can offend where no offense was intended. Remember also that it
was only the continued defense of the original slight that prompted me to
respond. I otherwise would have stuck with my Zen response: a howling reply
to Mr. Hood, which was promptly deleted whence my spleen was fully vented.

And since I am at it now: Sarah, I actually consider all of my technical
writing to be education, as just about everything I consider technical
writing is intended to inform someone about something. Be it a use case ( I
am teaching the programmer about the business process the software/hardware
will address), or user guide (I am teaching the user to complete tasks) or
a synchronous class (my TW background allows me to organize the content
into accessible and readily understood chunks and collateral materials). I
honestly believe that the two disciplines are actually best when practiced
together. I am a better teacher because of my technical writing background
and I am a better technical writer because of my education background.

-Greg

techwr-l-bounces+gps03=health -dot- state -dot- ny -dot- us -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com wrote on
02/22/2009 06:04:11 AM:

> Well from my perspective making one smarter would mean that one
> gains intelligence. With education, one gains knowledge, but not
intelligence.
>
> And Greg... what happens when someone says something *really*
> offensive instead of just something you happen to strongly disagree
> with? This is a discussion. No need to get indignant about it.
>
> Mike
> --
> Mike Starr                            WriteStarr Information Services
> Technical Writer  -  Online Help Developer  -   Technical Illustrator
> Graphic Designer    -    Desktop Publisher   -       MS Office Expert
> (262)  694-1028  -  mike -at- writestarr -dot- com  -  http://www.writestarr.com
>
> Michael West wrote:
> > Gregory P Sweet wrote:
> >>> I find your assertion that education
> >>> does not make one smarter deeply offensive.
> >
> > Sandy Harris wrote:
> >> I find it so obvious that I wonder if it was worth stating.
> >
> > If it doesn't make you smarter, can it really be called "education"? Or
are
> > we just quibbling about what "smarter" means?
> >
> > --
> > Mike
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