In Defense of All-Caps
On June 11, the US navy announced that they would stop transmitting internal communications in all-caps. Because lowercase messages, they said, “provide a more readable format”. It took them this long to figure that out? And then they wonder why there are jokes about Military Intelligence being a contradiction in terms? Ok, so the rest of us non-military folks (“civilians” in military speak) always knew that convention says that if it’s all-caps, then you must be screaming. But have you ever wondered whether all-caps is ever a good thing? In the sense that all caps might convey the message better than the regular style? Lindy West says YES (that’s in all-caps, in case you missed it). Given below are a few reasons. First off, they convey what you really feel: “I LOVE THE UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC PUSHINESS OF ALL-CAPS. I LOVE THE BREAK FROM PROPRIETY. I LOVE THE HONESTY OF IT. I LOVE LETTING LOUD FEELINGS BE LOUD.” Which is why, she argues: “ALL-CAPS ARE A VITAL LITERARY ...