I’m sure this exact article gets written every decade or so. Probably for the past several centuries.
Sure, folks today sign off with TTYL.
In the past, folks used to abbreviate stuff like RSVP. Lazy inarticulate bastards.
True, to some extent.
However, speaking as the dinosaur I am, there is defnitely a degradation of standards.
the problem is not a few abbreviations or bits of slang; the problem is short attention spans, the inability to concentrate, and a total lack of reason or logic in drawing conclusions.
Example #1 of this is the election of Barack Obama, without anything to recommend him except a vague phrase and the ability to deliver a speech from a teleprompter. Older people asked, “What has he DONE? What is his background and experience? What is his platform? Who does he value as a mentor? Where was he born, what is his health, what type of grades did he make in school?”
Those questions were discounted by the Hopey-changey crowd, who saw nothing except some guy who said things that sounded nice.
Example #2 are the global warming adherents, who refuse to believe any scientific evidence, instead going with feelings. No logic, no understanding of economic consequences, nothing.
Example #3 is the woman who got federal money and thought it came from “Obama’s stash.” No understanding of taxes supporting the government, etc. This woman believes money just appears.
Do go back and look at the examples I gave in books and movies. You will be surprised.