Re: virus: Nature of Information

Marie Foster (mfos@ieway.com)
Sat, 18 Oct 1997 14:58:15 -0700


Wade T.Smith wrote:
>
> >Why should "he" be used as a blanket pronoun when "she" works just
> >as well?
>
> Well, I am an old bastard, and the word 'he' is the universal to me,
> although I have been known to use a s/he every once and awhile, against
> my better judgment.
>
> If I _know_ I am responding to a woman individually, (or at least to
> someone who claims she is...) I will use 'she', of course.
>
> Interestingly, I think I have noticed a convention gaining ground wherein
> the universal pronoun is that of the author- so that I would keep 'he'
> and you all would know what I meant, and, Marie, for instance, would use
> 'she' and we'd all know the same thing.
>
> That seems totally defensible.
>
> *****************
> Wade T. Smith
> morbius@channel1.com | "There ain't nothin' you
> wade_smith@harvard.edu | shouldn't do to a god."
> morbius@cyberwarped.com |
> ******* http://www.channel1.com/users/morbius/ *******

I get messed up with what is PC in this arena as well.

he/she

Marie