Your preferred point of view

[Unveiled Artist]

When you read personal articles, blogs, and like websites of interest online (the choice of subject is entirely yours) whether for advice, insight, so have you, which point of view do you prefer the author(s) speak from? (First I/Me/My/We) or second point of view (You/me)

I know it depends on the subject. I know some tenses throw me off regardless the topic such as second person. I think it's similar to on RF where if someone said "you or we" we automatically think the poster is talking about us individually (generalizing us as a group) rather than acknowledging the poster's preference in POV to make his or her point. What about off line?

What's your preferred point of view(s)?
(Assuming they're opinionated sites about advice and things of that nature rather than technical ones where third person is often the case)

 

[sun rise]

I never thought about this before. I don't have a reaction to first/second person as such.

 

[Audie]

I never thought about this before. I don't have a reaction to first/second person as such.

How about referring to someone as "they"
Instead of "she "?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I tend to use "you" as if I'm speaking to someone, but here I'm trying to get out the habit as, understandably, it gets misinterpreted quite a bit and really isn't the most clear and understood in this medium.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

How about referring to someone as "they"
Instead of "she "?

I am still for English adopting das as a gender-neutral adjective as it already fits, works, and easy use and implement and integrate.
They is plural. Xi is going to confuse a lot of people.
And some believe you can't draw up preconceived stereotypes and images based on a gender neutral word like those. I had to hold back the "I just did" because it was at a support group when I first heard this.

 

[LightofTruth]

I tend to use "you" as if I'm speaking to someone, but here I'm trying to get out the habit as, understandably, it gets misinterpreted quite a bit and really isn't the most clear and understood in this medium.

Same here. I'm always using "You" and sometimes it gets people upset that I'm talking about them. Most of the time I'm speaking of myself and say "you".

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I tend to use "you" as if I'm speaking to someone, but here I'm trying to get out the habit as, understandably, it gets misinterpreted quite a bit and really isn't the most clear and understood in this medium.

When you read websites, are you drawn to authors who use "you" instead of first person?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I never thought about this before. I don't have a reaction to first/second person as such.

I used to read a lot and always had a pet peeve with too many first persons unless it's in a novel. I'm not one often to take generalizations personally so you may rock me a bit until I get the context of what the web owner speaks of.

I guess I get distracted trying to find the information I want when I'm shifting through personal opinions about the topic and not the answer itself.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

When you read websites, are you drawn to authors who use "you" instead of first person?

No. It works in the weird way Chuck Palahniuk writes his novels, but it's probably not me I'm reading about so the you seems weird.
And, editorially, you is a strange thing. It can be a strong commandment placing awkward responsibility with agency. It can be encouraging and motivating. In more less formal conversation, such as here, I tend to not put much into it, but for things informative or a more formal nature I try to avoid it and use it sparingly because it is a weird word.

 

[sun rise]

How about referring to someone as "they"
Instead of "she "?

Personally I sometimes use 'one' rather than 'he' or 'she' for gender unknown situations. Or I use he and she in a paragraph when I'm referring to someone in the third person.

But some have opined that we should have a mashup of she he and it.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

My general preferred format is the forum format such as this website or Reddit for example, so typically I'm biased to first person. My experience is limited but I can't help but feel like a blog or a website where a person talks about themselves in third person would be off putting.

 

[Audie]

Personally I sometimes use 'one' rather than 'he' or 'she' for gender unknown situations. Or I use he and she in a paragraph when I'm referring to someone in the third person.

But some have opined that we should have a mashup of she he and it.

For that bit of weirdness, why not

 

[SalixIncendium]

As long as one stays away from pronouns such as “you,” “we,” and “us” when speaking in general terms, I’m good. I’m not a fan of others trying to speak for me, as I make it a point to not presume to speak for others.

 

[Twilight Hue]

When you read personal articles, blogs, and like websites of interest online (the choice of subject is entirely yours) whether for advice, insight, so have you, which point of view do you prefer the author(s) speak from? (First I/Me/My/We) or second point of view (You/me)

I know it depends on the subject. I know some tenses throw me off regardless the topic such as second person. I think it's similar to on RF where if someone said "you or we" we automatically think the poster is talking about us individually (generalizing us as a group) rather than acknowledging the poster's preference in POV to make his or her point. What about off line?

What's your preferred point of view(s)?
(Assuming they're opinionated sites about advice and things of that nature rather than technical ones where third person is often the case)

I would think any work comes from the authors perspective. I try to look at both, the author and the perspective that encompasses the subject.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

As long as one stays away from pronouns such as “you,” “we,” and “us” when speaking in general terms, I’m good. I’m not a fan of others trying to speak for me, as I make it a point to not presume to speak for others.

I was thinking similar. It puts the reader in a "you should..." View. Would it depend on the blog or just in general?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

My general preferred format is the forum format such as this website or Reddit for example, so typically I'm biased to first person. My experience is limited but I can't help but feel like a blog or a website where a person talks about themselves in third person would be off putting.

Are you a blog web site person?

 

[PureX]

As long as one stays away from pronouns such as “you,” “we,” and “us” when speaking in general terms, I’m good. I’m not a fan of others trying to speak for me, as I make it a point to not presume to speak for others.

I use those pronouns as general terms all the time. Mostly because there are no other, better terms in English, to use. People often take my statements personally as a result, when they were not intended that way. But I can't control that. A lot of people are far too automatically self-defensive, and so don't realize that they are applying my comments to themselves, personally, when I was only offering them as a general observation. Then they feel and claim I am "attacking them" when I wasn't actually referring to them at all.

And I am OK with this, mostly, because I WANT them to consider whether or not my comments apply to them, specifically. While I do not wish to accuse anyone of anything, directly, because I cannot know it to be so.

 

[Vinayaka]

I prefer third person.

 

[Revoltingest]

When you read websites, are you drawn to authors who use "you" instead of first person?

I find it useful to use "one".
Example....
"Using your line of reasoning, one might
think that bacon is the ultimate food."
This has 2 advantages...
1) It clearly points to the general person, thereby
avoiding using the general "you", which can be
misread as being about the person.
2) It sounds sophisticated & embiggening.
(I need all of that I can get.)

 

[SalixIncendium]

I was thinking similar. It puts the reader in a "you should..." View. Would it depends on the blog or just in general?

In general, unless the author knew me personally and was writing specifically about me or about a group that included me.