I get that the X/Y/Z gens want to make their own rules, after all, every gen does, don’t they?

What happens when the rules and expectations of one gen collide with other gens? It always happens, but I haven’t noticed it in the past as I do now.

For instance, take punctuation. Please. I studied, still study and question my use of proper punctuation in writing. When to use a comma. When to leave it out. Parts of speech taken into account. When to use a semi-colon versus a colon. When to avoid semi and colons altogether. It’s so confusing.

I’ve read lately that the younger gens are given anxiety by people’s use of punctuation, especially in texts and emails. Calling it a “hard stop,” they suggest not using periods, just continue with what you’re saying. (Wait, doesn’t that make it a ‘run-on’ sentence doesn’t it make it unclear when to stop reading one sentence and move onto the next or does it make the word ‘sentence’ irrelevant?)

I will defend my right to use commas, “hard stops,” semi-colons (If I can figure out when to use them) and exclamation points (instead of an emoji).

Some of this smacks of narcissism to me; for instance, “I don’t want to learn the rules, therefore, we need to change the rules.” I get it that my gen also changed some rules, and not all for the better.

I’m reminded of an entry in my local Next Door app; a young woman is given anxiety by the park bench near our house; it makes her sad because a person who used to sit there had died. What? Should we make these benches socially unacceptable?

Don’t make me go back to “school” and re-learn what I know about punctuation. Please!