I got triggered by an article a friend posted recently. Not the content, just the title of it and several others on the site.
Errors in grammar, usage and spelling have absolutely no correlation with intelligence, strength of content or intention of the writer.
Sorry, they just don't. It's a nasty little myth that comes with the advent of intelligence testing and standardized education. Errors occur in everything, every day, and while they may indicate that a piece wasn't carefully edited, they do not indicate that the writer is a "numbskull" or "silly."
What errors can do, and the reason why you should always strive to eliminate them wherever possible, is that they can confuse your meaning, or dilute the clarity of your intention.
Obviously if I wish people would 'lose' the myth that writing and intelligence correlate, and I say 'loose' instead, that can definitely muddy my message. It does not however mean that I am silly, stupid, incapable of thought, or not worthy of being heard, nor that that I don't have something incredibly important that you should hear.
Everyone makes errors, it's impossible not to. [Not to mention: The rules you think are rules, aren't, and the grammar you think you know is probably wrong in some cases, and that's not just because it's constantly changing either.]
Wouldn't all our time be better spent talking to people rather than snickering at errors in their writing? Wouldn't it be nicer if someone asked you to correct an error because they were genuinely interested in making sure they fully understand what you are saying?
Don't be a grammar butt-munch for the sake of being a grammar butt-munch. Separate the person from the writing. And realize, the errors of today are the future spellings, grammatical structures and idioms of tomorrow.
