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These two parallel threads really touch on the same issue, to me.
Our "reader" is a "person." We, in general, do not know our reader personally.
We do not know the "life" the reader brings to our writing/words. Is the reader
a person who lives in poverty and despair, trying to get though the first job
they have held in years? Is the reader a young person who was abused as a child?
Is the reader the first rocket scientist ever to come from a third-world
country? Is the reader your offspring? Is the reader a parent with children in
trouble? Is the reader in a hurry to learn a new technique because of an
impending deadline? Is the reader hurrying to get a job done and doesn't give a
hoot about he/she womyn/man usage? Is the reader...?
My point is to say that we are responsible for our actions; our words/writing.
If someone is offended, then they're offended. You can no more argue that then
argue the sun in not hot (I realise "hot" is a relative term, please stay with
me on this point). Maybe caring that they are offended is more important than
saying they're wrong to feel that way. Maybe listening and understanding is more
important than feeling threatened or insecure about our writing.
Will we, as writers, be creative, responsible, brave, and courageous enough
stand for kindness and caring for our reader? For other people's feelings and
thoughts? Will we see that our actions-our intentions-define us? Are we, by
definition of technical writer, uncaring towards our reader simply because our
writing is "supposed" to be technical? Our writing is technical; our readers are
still people.
Randall Larson-Maynard
Technical Writer
Alstom Automation Schilling Robotics
Davis, CA, USA
randall -dot- larson-maynard -at- ind -dot- alstom -dot- com
www.schilling.com
