You know, until a mate pointed it out I had never noticed that columnist, radio presenter, recent arrival to blogging and computing guru Charles Wright referred to himself as ‘we’.
Now it’s driving me insane.
I don’t know whether I should shoot Mr Wright for doing it or shoot Daniel for bringing it to my attention. Either way, ‘we’ are not amused.
There’s much to be said for Queensland. Particularly if, like me, you were born there, and have to endure all those terribly unfunny slights from smug southerners.
That’s OK Charles, you weren’t a pivotal point in my plans to move to Queensland, where I currently reside. Personally I prefer analogue to digital. It was less you and more your callers that used to make me gnash – kind of like watching an episode of The Office from between your fingers. So with any luck you’ll forgive *my* irritation.
Look at you, Tony, getting all these famous people to visit your blog. How on earth do you do it?
Gosh durn it Beth. I’m STILL giving [gnash, gnash] computer advice on 774, week-about with my colleague Peter Moon. So don’t tune in around 10 on Thursdays, in case you burst a valve. Not that tech support types have valves. It’s all digital, I know.
And forgive the irritating pronoun, Anthony. I’ve been writing that column for 15 years, and it’s just become a way of separating my personal views from the views of the column. (Although these days, maybe there is no difference. Dear God, have I BECOME my column? )
The use of “we”, rather than “I” is a common journalistic device employed by columnists. Some refer to themselves in the third person (which I used to do when I had a humourous column in the Weekend Australian centuries ago.) Some use first person. “We” like the first person plural. Perhaps we’re a closet Royalist?
Thanks for the link, Anthony. I’ll have to return the compliment. And forgive the irritation.
Personally I don’t mind his ‘we’ thing that he has going on in ‘Bleeding Edge’ in the Green Guide. The thing about him that used to drive me TOTALLY insane was when he’d give computer advice via talkback on 774 (I think). As someone who has worked in tech support, it was pure unadulterated torture.[gnash gnash]
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