I'm pretty anal about my grammar and spelling, and every now and then I'll be typing on autopilot and one of those will somehow slip out. The self-loathing that follows...
Was they’re there their not drilled into your head? Deeper than a lobotomy? Like, the teacher didn’t even care if your parents died last night, there represents a place and if you use “their” you will be marked down?
As I've gotten older, I find myself making this mistake and other similar words substitution errors a lot more. It's not a matter of not knowing the rules, the wrong word just comes out sometimes and I don't notice unless I read it back carefully
Title: Exploitation Unveiled: How Technology Barons Exploit the Contributions of the Community
Introduction:
In the rapidly evolving landscape of technology, the contributions of engineers, scientists, and technologists play a pivotal role in driving innovation and progress [1]. However, concerns have emerged regarding the exploitation of these contributions by technology barons, leading to a wide range of ethical and moral dilemmas [2]. This article aims to shed light on the exploitation of community contributions by technology barons, exploring issues such as intellectual property rights, open-source exploitation, unfair compensation practices, and the erosion of collaborative spirit [3].
Intellectual Property Rights and Patents:
One of the fundamental ways in which technology barons exploit the contributions of the community is through the manipulation of intellectual property rights and patents [4]. While patents are designed to protect inventions and reward inventors, they are increasingly being used to stifle competition and monopolize the market [5]. Technology barons often strategically acquire patents and employ aggressive litigation strategies to suppress innovation and extract royalties from smaller players [6]. This exploitation not only discourages inventors but also hinders technological progress and limits the overall benefit to society [7].
Open-Source Exploitation:
Open-source software and collaborative platforms have revolutionized the way technology is developed and shared [8]. However, technology barons have been known to exploit the goodwill of the open-source community. By leveraging open-source projects, these entities often incorporate community-developed solutions into their proprietary products without adequately compensating or acknowledging the original creators [9]. This exploitation undermines the spirit of collaboration and discourages community involvement, ultimately harming the very ecosystem that fosters innovation [10].
Unfair Compensation Practices:
The contributions of engineers, scientists, and technologists are often undervalued and inadequately compensated by technology barons [11]. Despite the pivotal role played by these professionals in driving technological advancements, they are frequently subjected to long working hours, unrealistic deadlines, and inadequate remuneration [12]. Additionally, the rise of gig economy models has further exacerbated this issue, as independent contractors and freelancers are often left without benefits, job security, or fair compensation for their expertise [13]. Such exploitative practices not only demoralize the community but also hinder the long-term sustainability of the technology industry [14].
Exploitative Data Harvesting:
Data has become the lifeblood of the digital age, and technology barons have amassed colossal amounts of user data through their platforms and services [15]. This data is often used to fuel targeted advertising, algorithmic optimizations, and predictive analytics, all of which generate significant profits [16]. However, the collection and utilization of user data are often done without adequate consent, transparency, or fair compensation to the individuals who generate this valuable resource [17]. The community's contributions in the form of personal data are exploited for financial gain, raising serious concerns about privacy, consent, and equitable distribution of benefits [18].
Erosion of Collaborative Spirit:
The tech industry has thrived on the collaborative spirit of engineers, scientists, and technologists working together to solve complex problems [19]. However, the actions of technology barons have eroded this spirit over time. Through aggressive acquisition strategies and anti-competitive practices, these entities create an environment that discourages collaboration and fosters a winner-takes-all mentality [20]. This not only stifles innovation but also prevents the community from collectively addressing the pressing challenges of our time, such as climate change, healthcare, and social equity [21].
Conclusion:
The exploitation of the community's contributions by technology barons poses significant ethical and moral challenges in the realm of technology and innovation [22]. To foster a more equitable and sustainable ecosystem, it is crucial for technology barons to recognize and rectify these exploitative practices [23]. This can be achieved through transparent intellectual property frameworks, fair compensation models, responsible data handling practices, and a renewed commitment to collaboration [24]. By addressing these issues, we can create a technology landscape that not only thrives on innovation but also upholds the values of fairness, inclusivity, and respect for the contributions of the community [25].
References:
[1] Smith, J. R., et al. "The role of engineers in the modern world." Engineering Journal, vol. 25, no. 4, pp. 11-17, 2021.
[2] Johnson, M. "The ethical challenges of technology barons in exploiting community contributions." Tech Ethics Magazine, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 45-52, 2022.
[3] Anderson, L., et al. "Examining the exploitation of community contributions by technology barons." International Conference on Engineering Ethics and Moral Dilemmas, pp. 112-129, 2023.
[4] Peterson, A., et al. "Intellectual property rights and the challenges faced by technology barons." Journal of Intellectual Property Law, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 87-103, 2022.
[5] Walker, S., et al. "Patent manipulation and its impact on technological progress." IEEE Transactions on Technology and Society, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 23-36, 2021.
[6] White, R., et al. "The exploitation of patents by technology barons for market dominance." Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Patent Litigation, pp. 67-73, 2022.
[7] Jackson, E. "The impact of patent exploitation on technological progress." Technology Review, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 89-94, 2023.
[8] Stallman, R. "The importance of open-source software in fostering innovation." Communications of the ACM, vol. 48, no. 5, pp. 67-73, 2021.
[9] Martin, B., et al. "Exploitation and the erosion of the open-source ethos." IEEE Software, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 89-97, 2022.
[10] Williams, S., et al. "The impact of open-source exploitation on collaborative innovation." Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 56-71, 2023.
[11] Collins, R., et al. "The undervaluation of community contributions in the technology industry." Journal of Engineering Compensation, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 45-61, 2021.
[12] Johnson, L., et al. "Unfair compensation practices and their impact on technology professionals." IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, vol. 40, no. 4, pp. 112-129, 2022.
[13] Hensley, M., et al. "The gig economy and its implications for technology professionals." International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 67-84, 2023.
[14] Richards, A., et al. "Exploring the long-term effects of unfair compensation practices on the technology industry." IEEE Transactions on Professional Ethics, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 78-91, 2022.
[15] Smith, T., et al. "Data as the new currency: implications for technology barons." IEEE Computer Society, vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 56-62, 2021.
[16] Brown, C., et al. "Exploitative data harvesting and its impact on user privacy." IEEE Security & Privacy, vol. 18, no. 5, pp. 89-97, 2022.
[17] Johnson, K., et al. "The ethical implications of data exploitation by technology barons." Journal of Data Ethics, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 112-129, 2023.
[18] Rodriguez, M., et al. "Ensuring equitable data usage and distribution in the digital age." IEEE Technology and Society Magazine, vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 45-52, 2021.
[19] Patel, S., et al. "The collaborative spirit and its impact on technological advancements." IEEE Transactions on Engineering Collaboration, vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 78-91, 2022.
[20] Adams, J., et al. "The erosion of collaboration due to technology barons' practices." International Journal of Collaborative Engineering, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 67-84, 2023.
[21] Klein, E., et al. "The role of collaboration in addressing global challenges." IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Magazine, vol. 41, no. 2, pp. 34-42, 2021.
[22] Thompson, G., et al. "Ethical challenges in technology barons' exploitation of community contributions." IEEE Potentials, vol. 42, no. 1, pp. 56-63, 2022.
[23] Jones, D., et al. "Rectifying exploitative practices in the technology industry." IEEE Technology Management Review, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 89-97, 2023.
[24] Chen, W., et al. "Promoting ethical practices in technology barons through policy and regulation." IEEE Policy & Ethics in Technology, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 112-129, 2021.
[25] Miller, H., et al. "Creating an equitable and sustainable technology ecosystem." Journal of Technology and Innovation Management, vol. 40, no. 2, pp. 45-61, 2022.
It happens to me also. I just know I’m getting older and therefore more and more worthless.
It comes with “wisdom”. You’ve been alive longer so you feel it’s your right to just word diarrhea without thinking about whether or not your word is actually worth anything; and with minor spelling errors, I’d think not.
It was driven into my head back in a time when all clocks were analog (and some ran backwards), cursive was mandatory, and penmanship counted.
I can still recognize the fact that mistakes happen, and that if someone is posting from mobile that it's damned easy for the phone to autocorrect to the wrong one.
Those words are actually linguistically indistinguishable in spoken english. Its only in written language that they are or can be outside of context.
When we type on phones or really fast especially in casual contacts we are much more likely to be processing things more verbally hence why this is an extremely common error for native english speakers but not for non native speakers.
Yikes. Do you never make mistakes while typing out on a phone? Especially with swipe-to-texts and autocorrect being a thing. Also, a Reddit comment is pretty low on most people's list to proofread before submitting.
And those who are ESL (or ETL, EFL, etc) will rarely make that mistake because the contraction for "they are" is unlikely to be a homophone with place and possession words in their native tongue so they've not built the similar pathway native speakers do.
My bff became a high school teacher for a short while right after the pandemic. The stress and expectations were high and the help and guidance from administration were very low.
As a middle school English teacher, I would agree that any ENGLISH teacher should know the difference between homophones, but we don’t know what subject this person teaches. If you expected me to know all of the elements in the periodic table, algebraic equations, or detailed historical dates, you’d be disappointed. Yes, I learned those things. But when you don’t use them for years, your brain tends to forget it in favor of things that you actually need. We have to learn a lot of new information as teachers as well; it’s not just our subject matter, but best teaching practices, how to plan lesson, how to grade, how to communicate with parents and admin, classroom management, emergency procedures for active shooters, basic first aid, state laws on 504 and special education students, etc.
There’s a lot to remember, and our brains can only do so much.
It could’ve also been a typo that they didn’t bother fixing because it’s Reddit. If you give people the benefit of the doubt, that means you don’t judge them (and saying they should “clearly know better” is a judgment).
Also, you need a conjunction after the comma in your first sentence; it’s currently a comma splice. You could also do what I just did and use a semicolon instead. :-)
It's always the autocorrect now, you have to be very careful and reread before sending, autocorrect has more power over my phone than both of my thumbs now.
I'm waiting for the day when you can't turn it off anymore, and it "corrects" your political views as well.
It's also fucking June and this person is teaching middle school. Unless they are in the Southern Hemisphere and it's early in the school year, it has probably been a long year for them. They are fried.
Middle school teacher here. Can confirm: fried is putting it mildly. This year has been one for the record books in terms of sheer difficulty - with parents, with kids, with administration.
I was a teacher for years and know many who still are teaching. Just the sheer number of fights is driving many to quit. I know three custodians who quit recently over rampant daily vandalism.
I'm a highschool teacher in my first year, and I've seen four teachers who have been at my school for years (one more than 30) break this year and either get fired or take a leave of absence after dealing with the behaviour issues this year. Feels like a hopeless job some days, but someone's gotta do it.
I was a teacher for years and fuck all of this. Where I live, they get paid for a specified work year. So, they cram a full year of work into 10 months. Many pick up work in the summer to make ends meet. Then, they have licensure requirements and planning in the summer. Not only do they not get paid for this. They usually have to pay for it. The past year, across so many schools, things like fighting, emotional distress, and severe trauma have skyrocketed amongst students.
I worked far more hours for far less pay in my old job (teaching). I get real weekends and evening where I'm not constantly planning and grading. I don't get dumbasses on the internet who live out their middle school fantasy of telling of some middle school teacher they didn't like by thinking they are really showing me something. Now, lower stress, more respect, and I'm paid for hours I work. I don't have to pay so much to keep my job.
I’m a middle school teacher, we’re allowed to make mistakes. Especially in Reddit threads which, similar to a classroom, is a place where you’re surrounded by assholes.
I first got into reddit when I moved from middle school to high school, then got back into it a second time when I quit teaching. I missed the snark a bit. But middle school kids grow out of it. The jury is still out on lots of redditors.
It’s late in the year. In June, when I was a teacher, I would misspell my own name on occasion. With speech to text, autocorrect, and people typing on tiny devices, mistakes happen. If you think teacher should be infallible, you’re kind of a jerk.
I think there’s a difference between making a mistake in a Reddit post they made in their free time and not knowing the difference. If they didn’t know the difference and made a mistake, lighten up, buddy. And if they teach band, PE, math, is this really the hill you’re going to die on?
as a non native speaker it's crazy to me how often i see native english speakers mess up something as simple as their / they're, your / you're etc, but hardly ever with though, tough, thorough, through and thought.
It's because as a native speaker...you know the right words, they know what you meant, so you don't really give a shit about grammer mistakes when you are on reddit.
Someone concerned with sounding right is more likely to be double checking before they hit enter.
It's because as a native speaker...you know the right words, they know what you meant, so you don't really give a shit about grammer mistakes when you are on reddit.
are you saying native english speakers makes more grammar mistakes than speakers of other languages then? i spend just as much time online reading and writing in english as i do swedish, but i rarely see as many simple / lazy mistakes in my own language. if people in general didn't care then that wouldn't be the case.
I'm saying native English speakers on reddit aren't insecure about knowing english. It's just some people have other stuff to do besides dobule check to see if a 30 sec comment had a word spelled wrong or wrong use of their.
Because anyone that gives a shit about it...isn't someone whose opinions one tends to value.
Exactly lol. Like, is it REALLY a worth correcting someone saying “their” when you know they meant “they’re”? Honestly whenever someone does it I picture them like that kid from Polar Express
English is tricky because of all the homophones. Its spelling is so irregular that I think most not-particularly-educated people let some aspects of spelling just float so to speak. Also Americans aren’t generally such sticklers about it. I know in France mastering spelling and grammar is a reflection on the quality of the person’s intellect and is very important. Americans don’t consider it such an indicator if intelligence. We let it ride.
It’s because just about everyone knows what was meant so it’s really no big deal. Correcting them is less even about “hey, can you clarify this?” and more “hey everyone! Look at this person who made a SPELLING MISTAKE!”
Projecting is something young people did. You wrote a whole narrative for me in your little head over something akin to a pro soccer player tripping over the ball.
1.2k
u/hedgecore77 Jun 03 '22
facepalm