24 Comments

Can vouch for the Gen X preference for ellipses, which continues to drive me crazy...

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I ... have ... worked ... with many Gen Xers ... and ... this ... is ... always the case-

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Too coherent! The ellipses always have to convey a sense of mystery....

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... - ... i ... fuckwitmeuknowigotit ... sent from my pocket supercompu...ter

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Anecdotally, I'll also throw Gen X into the "most rewritten, agonized ten word email" group.

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Aug 1, 2023Liked by Sam Colt

Their dictionaries have gaps, they don't have all words available to them, they have holes in their brains, they forget what they were going to say in the midst of applying fingers to keyboard?

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Pretty much. More specifically, the holes are created by brainworms.

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Jul 31, 2023·edited Jul 31, 2023Liked by Sam Colt

Listen...I know GenX is an easy target--andwe'veearnedit-- but not-

not every GenX'er does the things you're accusing us of.

Best,

Kevin--

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Hey Kevin!

As a millennial, I will circle back to this response after I run it through five rounds of revisions to make sure this email is appropriate, perky, and conveys my sense of passion for my work and this company! Ok, I'm off to therapy!

Cheers!

Sam!

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I know this piece leans heavily into humor and sarcasm, but what makes humor and sarcasm funny, of course, is that they are hedged 'round by the truth.

This was great.

Just last week, a snarky Millennial cashier said to me, as I was turning to leave, "Have the day you deserve." It was the best non go-fuck-yourself (but go-fuck-yourself) I'd heard in a long time.

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I need to work this into as many interactions as possible.

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An as Gen X literary genius - My email were works of art.

When I got a laptop in 2001 I would draft them all on word and save them.

I have over 3000 emails in a file.

Here is part of one ...

Hey bro, I just read over your last letter and it was rad, we should catch up on MSN .

First you don’t know what cold is untill you have worked in a snow storm in –14 degrees out side in northern Ontario.

You take a piss and have to snap it off when your done.

But yeah I dig it that the farm was kinda cold. For Auzzie… I bet you had to put a shirt on...

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Love it! As my newsletter would suggest, I’m a  “kind regards” kinda millennial. “Cheers”, if I’m trying to come across passive aggressively casual 😈

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I cannot add to those email sign offs. They are perfect.

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I'm last of the X generation, so proto-millennial. I write emails with considered grammar and the appropriate number of exclamation points but no ellipses and, here's the key, no fucks to give.

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All my subject lines: "Hey fuckface, read this"

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Sent in a frenzy before I get to the front of the line at Chipotle,

Samuel

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The Chipotle employee did not appropriately portion out two FULL scoops when I asked for 1 steak, 1 chicken. I apologize if there is a delay in my response.

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Dear That Guy from the Internet,

Ironically, it’s “poring” over grammar.

“Pouring” is for liquids. The last thing you want to do is “pour over” your books, unless you want them to be a warped, sticky mess.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/pore-over-vs-pour-over-poor-usage-difference

Best Regards,

Xtal

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Jul 31, 2023·edited Jul 31, 2023Author

Hi Xtal!

Thanks for your comment! I have taken your feedback into consideration, and I will circle back after my 1027355th round of revisions with the client and incorporate this into V32 of the deck! Please reach out if you have any additional suggestions and I will be happy to comply!

Cheers,

Sam

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I got the ick from this.

Rudely,

A.M.

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My Greek professor had a great one:

“As ever,”

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Well, as a Boomer I gotta say..."Thank FUCK I retired!" and...as I was never a part of the Corporate world, I never learned the proper email protocol--is there such a thing? I would just phone...y'all have the day you deserve! Ciao...

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I’m gen Z and I use proper punctuation on my articles but I don’t usually proofread them. To me the messages I try to get across to people matter much more than grammar or punctuation.

Absolutely agree that millennials tend to be WAY too enthusiastic in their emails and texts. It can seem a kind of insincere at times and I also noticed they really lack boundaries and do the most. Their work ethic is toxic. They stay much later than they need to but I inspire them to stand up for themselves and make them laugh

by being goofy cause all this shit really isn’t that serious

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