The Perils of Pedantry

[Michael Murry]

Bêthberry: "It isn't the criticism that drew my concern but the tone and attitude towards others."

An interesting comment from one who addressed the following to me in another thread (the one about "reading" a television broadcast):

“Where to begin? Well, with literary and cinematic theory, which use "text" as a metaphor for anything which is conceptualised as conveying meaning. These meanings are then interpreted. This is a relatively recent (well, in the last fifty years or so) meaning of the word "text" so perhaps you can be forgiven if you aren't aware of it, especially if you don't know much critical theory.”

I find the tone -- which means "a speaker/writer's attitude towards his or her listeners/readers" -- of the highlighted passage both dismissive and condescending. I have not requested anyone's forgiveness nor do I require any. But I do thank you for the opportunity to highlight the distinction between propounding a Theory of Inoffensive Tonality and the choice not to practice it.