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Comment by pazimzadeh | Hacker News Reader

The beginning of this reads like it was written by a 13 year old but it turns out that is intentional and the essay is worth reading as a whole.

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I think you mean ends like it was written by a 13 year old, which was one of many devices the author used to show the devolving intellectualism of the main character. At the start her language/grammar skills are impeccable. By the end, yes, it's typical teen speak, broken grammar, nonexistent punctuation, etc.

I think both parts sound like they're written by a thirteen year old. First with the force of mind of someone convinced they are right and know more than everyone else, and then with the uncritical eye of someone who accepts everything. Two sides of a thirteen year old unable to reconcile the irrationality of human existence in a world made of matter. An adolescent who cannot accept the contradiction of worldviews that makes for a balanced life.

Agreed. The first part reminds me of my high school years as an atheist, when I knew that I was right and thought it was my job to enlighten everyone else.

Exactly. Especially her mocking comment about how she freed herself from punctuation.

"When will I evolve to the stage in which Ill be able to omit an apostrophe without being conscious of it?"

And then you see how she wrote by the end...

Mechanically impeccable, at least.

Then again the character was intended to be in high school. I think the sloppy writing was very intentional. You can see her style shifts a few times throughout the story.

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