P.S. Is the post script dead in the post script era?

In my continuing search for metaphors and references that have lost their meaning –or more importantly, behaviors and terms rooted in a bygone era, P.S. is now on my hit list.  I realized this as I was typing an email, typed my closing (“thanks, Neil) and added the following:

P.S. Call my cell if there’s a last-minute change

Right after I wrote “P.S.” (and struggled w/ the issue around punctuation of periods) I realized that I should really just cut and paste that line into the body of the note. Literally (or figuratively) –the whole point of “post script” was “after the writing” or after the script, since it was far easier to provide the quick addendum v. going back and re-writing the entire letter (by hand or typewriter).

In the “Post Script” era of word processing and cut/paste it really just comes off as sloppy writing or an afterthought. Or does it serve some sort of rhetorical purpose (writorical?) My daughter Charlotte (the true test of relevancy in the digital era) said she still uses “P.S” but more for tone –a way of calling attention to something or providing it as a true “afterthought.”   Perhaps we should now start writing (typing? texting?) “A.T.” instead since that’s a more true reflection of what it is.

And that brings us to the  question—is the postscript relevant in a post –script era?

Neil

P.S.  feel free to call me on my cell if you prefer to discuss in person. I mean over the phone…or Cell.

Block that metaphor – the technology metaphor/analogy watch list

Some time ago while delivering a Powerpoint presentation to a group of newly hired employees, I noticed that I was losing some of the audience. My “oh so brilliant” analogy of the shift from DOS to Windows and the services of the “clipboard” (cut/paste) to explain the new paradigm (web services? Cloud computing? I forget) wasn’t landing as well as it used to.

 It occurred to me that I was becoming that older guy standing in front of a class talking about the Fortran days, the days of the punch card, the days when choosing a “word processor” for college was really a decision between Pica or Elite (let’s be clear –pica made the papers look longer so really it wasn’t a hard decision).  I started going through my mental Rolodex of all the analogies, metaphors allegories and references I have used to  make “understandable” the complexities of a new technology and realized i needed to retire or update my standard reference points.

When talking about new technologies, analogies and metaphors are intended to help the audience understand the “new” paradigm within the context of the “old” technology that it replaces: horseless carriage, talking pictures, etc). But the problem is, if the audience HAS no knowledge or context around the initial  reference, the only result is a group of people who think YOU don’t get it.   Telling my daughter that the city of San Francisco is like just like the city of Boston, but after its been power washed, is not helpful if she’s never been to Boston. Or had a clue what power washing is. you get the idea.

So I’m starting a list –of phrases, metaphors, etc. that should be approached with caution when using especially ,if the audience is young enough never have watched a Seinfeld episode, has multiple or no email addresses, or have never experienced the endless wait of the number zero on a rotary dial phone. 

Feel free to add to the list –its fun! (actually it’s depressing but still, add what you can):

• Phrases“Blank sheet of paper staring you in the face”
  • “Looking it up in your Rolodex”
  • “Standing around the water Cooler”
  • “Telephone is ringing” (both words are really suspect right now –“is” is about the only constant)
  • “Dial the phone”
• Objects/analogiesTypewriters (anything to do w/ them –whiteout, pica, elite, eating corn like a…)
  • Be generally aware of anything that follows the sentence “just like the transition from” as in:
    • “Just like the transition from …”Dos to Windows
      • Clipboard
      • Copy and Paste (current mobile debate notwithstanding)
      • Mainframe to PC
      • 8 track to anything,
      • Records to cd’s
  • Word processors to pc’s

TV Shows (tread REALLY carefully here since the category itself is questionable)

• • Brady Bunch Saved By the Bell
  • I Dream of Jeanie, BradyBewitched
  • Old Darin new Darin on Bewitched*

*( not to be confused w/ the transition of old Barney Rubble to New Barney Rubble  on the Flintstones which DOES raise the issue of “hey what the hell WAS it w/ these switching characters on us and not even explaining that they were TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE? do you think that does to our just forming minds??? (subject of  another post as is “was mr. kazoo a real character on Flintstones or just some strange false memory i have?)