Uploaded May 2022 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Please Don't Be a Grammar Jerk
Does having "good" grammar give you the illusion
that you are better than others? That is a delusion.
As long as we can understand what is being said,
there is no need to "correct" grammar. Listen instead.
If you're more concerned with grammar, than with the gist of what someone is saying,
and you lecture them on grammar rules you think need obeying,
you will miss out on opportunities to learn and grow.
Life is about more than explaining grammar we know.
"Correcting" someone's grammar is a sad game to play,
because your actions may result in someone deciding not to say
what is on their mind, because you'll just "correct" them once more.
Let's foster a gentle environment, so people feel heard and cared for.
Not everyone has the chance to spend much time at a school.
Many are working at oppressive jobs, while we play in a pool.
Please let go of your desire to feel superior.
Stop trying to make anyone feel inferior.
What comes from the heart goes to the heart, if you pay close attention
to the essence of the message, and the person's intention.
Focus on the message, and you'll know what someone's point is,
even if they aren't in your opinion a grammar "whizz."
All languages are made-up, and they all change over time.
Into the mind of another, languages help us to climb.
Embrace the beauty of languages, regardless of the form.
Listen to people who speak in a way that is far outside your norm.
Please Don't Be a Grammar Jerk
There are many terrible consequences to being a grammar jerk.
People get rejected for housing, or rejected for work,
just because of perceived grammar "errors" during a phone call.
Grammar "mistakes" on a résumé means no call back at all.
It's just a way to keep the privileged people in power,
by giving gatekeepers an easy way to let certain people up the tower.
On your résumé, you used an "incorrect" punctuation mark.
So no paying your bills, and you are left in the cold and dark.
Look at this thread on the internet. Many comments we can see.
You chose a laugh emoticon, because you found it funny
that someone spelled a word differently than you were taught in school.
You ignored the heart of what they said, and instead called them a "fool."
While you laughed at the spelling "mistake," others read with an open mind.
And oh what wisdom in this heartfelt comment they did find.
You walked away from this thread, grinning and feeling better than they.
But you missed out on learning, too preoccupied with the rules you obey.
If you're not sure what someone is saying, ask questions to clarify.
Never do so in a mocking way. Kindness we personify.
If someone asks for grammar tips, by all means help them out.
Grammar helps us communicate clearly so our message is not in doubt.
But if someone's not asking for grammar tips, and you understood what they said,
then keep those grammar rules to yourself. We'll all come out ahead.
We can make a world where everybody feels appreciated and protected.
When you share your truth, it feels great to be heard, rather than "corrected."
Please Don't Be a Grammar Jerk
Does having "good" grammar give you the illusion
that you are better than others? That is a delusion.
As long as we can understand what is being said,
there is no need to "correct" grammar. Listen instead.
If you're more concerned with grammar, than with the gist of what someone is saying,
and you lecture them on grammar rules you think need obeying,
you will miss out on opportunities to learn and grow.
Life is about more than explaining grammar we know.
"Correcting" someone's grammar is a sad game to play,
because your actions may result in someone deciding not to say
what is on their mind, because you'll just "correct" them once more.
Let's foster a gentle environment, so people feel heard and cared for.
Not everyone has the chance to spend much time at a school.
Many are working at oppressive jobs, while we play in a pool.
Please let go of your desire to feel superior.
Stop trying to make anyone feel inferior.
What comes from the heart goes to the heart, if you pay close attention
to the essence of the message, and the person's intention.
Focus on the message, and you'll know what someone's point is,
even if they aren't in your opinion a grammar "whizz."
All languages are made-up, and they all change over time.
Into the mind of another, languages help us to climb.
Embrace the beauty of languages, regardless of the form.
Listen to people who speak in a way that is far outside your norm.
Please Don't Be a Grammar Jerk
There are many terrible consequences to being a grammar jerk.
People get rejected for housing, or rejected for work,
just because of perceived grammar "errors" during a phone call.
Grammar "mistakes" on a résumé means no call back at all.
It's just a way to keep the privileged people in power,
by giving gatekeepers an easy way to let certain people up the tower.
On your résumé, you used an "incorrect" punctuation mark.
So no paying your bills, and you are left in the cold and dark.
Look at this thread on the internet. Many comments we can see.
You chose a laugh emoticon, because you found it funny
that someone spelled a word differently than you were taught in school.
You ignored the heart of what they said, and instead called them a "fool."
While you laughed at the spelling "mistake," others read with an open mind.
And oh what wisdom in this heartfelt comment they did find.
You walked away from this thread, grinning and feeling better than they.
But you missed out on learning, too preoccupied with the rules you obey.
If you're not sure what someone is saying, ask questions to clarify.
Never do so in a mocking way. Kindness we personify.
If someone asks for grammar tips, by all means help them out.
Grammar helps us communicate clearly so our message is not in doubt.
But if someone's not asking for grammar tips, and you understood what they said,
then keep those grammar rules to yourself. We'll all come out ahead.
We can make a world where everybody feels appreciated and protected.
When you share your truth, it feels great to be heard, rather than "corrected."
