The concern here is not that the poster comes off looking like a bad person, because clearly he* doesn’t, but that unintentionally sexist language persists.
If I had corrected the poster’s lack of a final slash in his s/// syntax, I wouldn’t have been implicitly accusing him of being an incompetent programmer, because it’s a common and small mistake that I make too. But perhaps it’s worth pointing out every tenth time one sees it, as a mater of politeness, demonstrating the assumption that the poster cares.
So my purpose was not to say “you monster” but “psst, you missed a spot”, and that’s how he seems to have taken it.
To me, “man” meaning “human” isn’t colloquial at all (except in the slangy sense of don’t have a cow, man) – in fact, it’s stilted at best.
At this moment, the #1 post on my reddit front page is complaining that the people who complain about spelling or grammar errors... probably don't speak two languages.
ie. Whilst fighting the good fight for gender-neutrality/spelling/grammar, please don't forget that some people (especially on the internet) might not have as a nuanced expression in English as you.
It's colloquial in the same sense that it's ok to say "the best man for the job"
"We were looking for the best for the job" .... and then go on to announce it's a woman. We don't have to be such prudes to be respectful of the other gender.
Honestly? It boils down to me thinking to myself "I could see me saying 'man' in this case too" with the knowledge that I am one of the most outspoken champions of women equality and rights in most sittings I'm in.. so I find it overkill to make a fuss about this, esp. in such an understandable context.
If I had corrected the poster’s lack of a final slash in his s/// syntax, I wouldn’t have been implicitly accusing him of being an incompetent programmer, because it’s a common and small mistake that I make too. But perhaps it’s worth pointing out every tenth time one sees it, as a mater of politeness, demonstrating the assumption that the poster cares.
So my purpose was not to say “you monster” but “psst, you missed a spot”, and that’s how he seems to have taken it.
To me, “man” meaning “human” isn’t colloquial at all (except in the slangy sense of don’t have a cow, man) – in fact, it’s stilted at best.
* I checked his profile.