Thoughts, Opinions? What do you usually do?
Ask HN: I versus We
1–10 of 34 posts
Re: Ask HN: I versus We
#2Re: Ask HN: I versus We
#3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majestic_plural ;)
'In a frequently-repeated story, United States Navy Admiral Hyman G. Rickover told a subordinate who used the royal we: "Three groups are permitted that usage: pregnant women, royalty, and schizophrenics. Which one are you?"'
Re: Ask HN: I versus We
#4If it seems odd, don't do it. If you're the only person, I think it's fine just to use 'I'. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majestic_plural ;) 'In a frequently-repeated story, United States Navy Admiral Hyman G. Rickover told a subordinate who used the royal we: "Three groups are permitted that usage: pregnant women, royalty, and schizophrenics. Which one are you?"'
And the quote that (possibly) comes from Mark Twain is great, too: "Only kings, presidents, editors, and people with tapeworms have the right to use the editorial 'we.'"
Perhaps it's the editors part where bloggers get the idea to use we on everything...
Re: Ask HN: I versus We
#5Re: Ask HN: I versus We
#6In addition to the comments already made about sounding personal, pregnant women, royalty, and the schizophrenic, sometimes I use "we" to mean "us both - you, the reader, and me, the author." With that in mind, some places where "we" would otherwise sound wrong suddenly become normal/sensible/reasonable.
Re: Ask HN: I versus We
#7Re: Ask HN: I versus We
#8Find a way to restructure the sentence to use "you".
It's about your audience, not yourself.
Re: Ask HN: I versus We
#9Re: Ask HN: I versus We
#10However, I've heard anectodes about one-man/woman businesses where a person fakes there's more people in the office. Seems dumb but sometimes it's needed and they had success with it, I don't think it suits your case though :)