COMING TO YOU IN CAPS

COMING TO YOU IN CAPS

BEFORE I BEGIN MY TIRADE, LET ME PULL A WORD FROM THE DICTIONARY.

convention [ kuhn-ven-shuhn ]
noun
a large formal meeting or assembly, as of members, representatives, or delegates, for discussion of and action on particular matters of common concern:
In 1932 he was elected president of the Missouri State Medical Association at its annual convention.

a large meeting of people with a common interest, as in a particular recreational activity:
The site is a fan's resource for finding upcoming comic, gaming, and sci-fi conventions throughout the world.

U.S. Politics. a representative party assembly to nominate candidates and adopt platforms and party rules.

a rule, method, or practice established by usage; custom:
In Social Studies, the second graders learned the convention of showing north at the top of a map.

general agreement or consent; accepted usage, especially as a standard of procedure:
Certain uses of the comma have become established by convention.

accepted practice that has become removed from naturally occurring behavior; conventionalism:
As young, second-career farmers, they're not bound by convention, and their land isn't a traditional farm.

I REFER TO THE LAST THREE DEFINITIONS. THEY DESCRIBE ACCEPTED USAGE, ESTABLISHED USAGE, RULES, METHODS, ETC. FOR SOME REASON--AND SEEMINGLY OUT OF NOWHERE--PEOPLE IN BUSINESS AND ON CASUAL CELL PHONE COMMUNICATIONS HAVE ADDRESSED THEIR OUTRAGE WHEN A WRITER OPTS TO WRITE IN CAPITAL LETTERS (HEREAFTER SIMPLY REFERRED TO AS CAPS).
I GREW UP WITH CAPS. THEY WERE THE GOLDEN STANDARD ON STREET SIGNS IN SAN FRANCISCO (UNTIL SOME A**WIPE DECIDED TO CHANGE THEM).


THEY ARE USED ON STORE SIGNAGE

THEY CAN BE SEEN ON BILLBOARD ADVERTISEMENTS


THEY ARE THE EXCLUSIVE CASE USED ON SCRABBLE BOARDS. (SORRY, HIP FORUMS WON'T
LET ME COPY ANY MORE PICTURES).
IN MANY COUNTRIES IN EUROPE, THE LAST (OR SURNAME) IS WRITTEN IN CAPS TO DISTINGUISH IT FROM ONE'S xTIAN NAME.
YOU MAY ALSO REMEMBER HAVING TO FILL OUT STANDARD FORMS THAT REQUIRE YOU TO FILL IN A LETTER IN A BUBBLE WITH YOUR #2 PENCIL ? THESE SCANTRON FORMS INDICATE THAT LETTERS MUST BE WRITTEN IN BLOCK PRINT FORMAT. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, RIGHT? IT MEANS ALL IN CAPS !
SO WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL THAT DRIVES SO MANY PEOPLE APES**T WHEN SOMEONE WRITES SOMETHING IN CAPS? THE RESPONSE IS, "WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING AT ME?"
DO THESE SAME PEOPLE FEEL AS IF THEY WERE GETTING A SHOUT OUT WHEN SOMETHING WERE UNDERLINED OR WRITTEN IN ITALICS?
IT'S A MYSTERY TO ME. AND QUITE HONESTLY, I HAVE REFUSED AND CONTINUE TO IGNORE THE REQUEST TO STOP. MY USAGE IS MINIMAL, BUT I AM NOT GOING TO GIVE UP A WRITING STYLE THAT WORKS FOR ME TO CATER TO OR KOWTOW TO THE OUTCRIES OF THIS SAMPLE GROUP.