If you ever text me, it quickly becomes apparent that I always use proper grammar. Despite arguments that my texting habits may prove to be inefficient, I find a certain level of pride in staying consistent with practices I have employed since elementary school. In fact, it is through these principles that I have deepened my appreciation for grammar—the structural order, the explicit rules and, most interestingly, the parallel of these elements to modern day society.  

According to the Paris Review, the semicolon was first invented in the late 1440’s in Venice by an Italian printer by the name of Aldus Manutius. Manutius’ intended purpose for the semicolon was to allow readers to pause in order to understand more complex sentences. Personally, I strive to embody the elements of the semi-colon in everything I do. Aside from how fun it is to physically write out, the cool icons it can produce, [ ; ) ], and its historical value, the semicolon serves as a reminder to actively attempt to listen to opposing arguments and find an avenue for common ground to bridge gaps amongst differing opinions. 

Observing current exchanges of discussion, I have noticed the extreme extent to which polarization has infiltrated human conversation. If an individual simply states a political ideology to which their ideas most comply with, it is automatically assumed that that individual is a “poster child” for the stereotype that comes with that political party. Automatic prejudice is instilled, prompting others to assumptively define all of the individual’s views based on a singular statement or belief. We, myself included, put a full stop to listening to other individuals completely, failing to seriously consider their points of view, simply because we assume we already know everything the individual has to say or because we disagree with their stance on a certain issue. This is what I would like to call “embodying the principles of the period.” 

As most of us were taught in grade school, the function of a period is to end a sentence; it is a declaratory measure to indicate that a train of thought has concluded, and a new idea will be introduced. I find that we do this to each other in our conversations—as soon as someone declares their stance on complex issues that are wrongfully painted as “this or that” issues, we paint them as being incorrect, sometimes even unconsciously degrading their value as a human in our minds. Yet, by that merit, are they not doing the exact same thing to you? 

I am by no means saying that the point of conversation is for all of us to agree with one another. Convergence to a single train of thought across society is far from anything that would help us advance. Instead I am stating that the value of conversation has heavily decreased because we are unable to successfully exchange ideas. These are complicated issues that we are facing. If they weren’t—if they were truly black and white—then we may have reached a solution by now. But, that in itself is the point. A majority of people do not blindly believe their convictions, there are elements of logic and specific pieces of evidence that underlie what they stand for, just as there are influences that shape your beliefs. There are reasons these dilemmas present immense gray areas and, in turn, areas for discussion. Manutius’ intended purpose for inventing the semicolon was to allow us a second to reflect and tackle complicated topics. I believe we need to improve our exchange of ideas and decrease the growing levels of polarization present in modern day society. 

On certain occasions, we may have more in common than we thought. We may grow in our perspective or greatly influence another individual’s. In other situations, we may have absolutely no common ground in our worldviews. That is the reality that we face. I have been in situations in which after I listened to someone’s argument, I became more firm in my initial beliefs. Yet, it was after I listened. The connection between humans can be strengthened by the fact that they took time to listen to each other in a civilized manner; they made an attempt to better understand each other’s points of view. While that may not be the solution to this toxic era of political discourse that has emerged—it is a start. 

So, I encourage you to be a semicolon amongst the sea of periods. Engage in meaningful discourse to build a basis for commonality with those who you may not agree with. Who knows, maybe soon you will join me in texting with proper grammar as well.