It's not the "generic" you, it's the singular "thou" that's missing. Christians decreed that it be used only in speaking to God, and smushed everyone else, singular and plural, together. It's amazing how clean your language gets when you got backwards to the actual 2nd person singular.
The problem with the sentence discussed is that we all know is rude to say "he" [as is "one can learn as much as he is able.."] so we revert to the plural "they". Objectivists, in general, are very good about having agreed that "he" applies to everyone, and usually use the singular easily. If you're willing to write around it, you can do without the convention but you have to think about it a bit.
--from one word -and-grammar geek to others

Thoritsu,
Usually, because one can't do it fast enough, and it gets totally unreadable if done too fast - you need the [as the Brits say] joined-up parts to make it more efficient.

Here's one the best reasons for studying Latin I know: spelling. My favorite example is the word "necessary". People agonize over whether it's a c or an s in the first syllable. However, when they learn the phrase "necesse est" [and the c is always pronounced hard in Latin}, which means "it is necessary or required", the spelling problem usually disappears.
I would love to work on grammar with your daughter, and she'll ace her Latin classes! You are welcome to PM me any time.

Signatures in informal writing are also more personal, just as they are unique in legal documents.

The practical benefit to cursive writing over printing is that it is faster. to write. Unfortunately bad handwriting takes longer to read, but at least avoids the need for encryption :-)

See Ayn Rand's book Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology.

Communicate what? If you don't have concepts, which require words to designate, you have nothing to communicate. That cognition precedes communication does not mean to live in vacuum and not communicate.

I understand the problems with the generic "you" being misunderstood. This one was Technocracy's lack of agreement between subject and predicate mixing plural and singular -- one vs. they -- making it sound like two different entities doing the learning, It was ironic in response to your plea for good grammar!

Totally agree that Latin is valuable. I took Latin in high school, and would definitely not have gotten a national merit scholarship without it! It saved my verbal score. My daughter is trying to get into Latin next year.

Would love to take you up on teaching grammar. My son (20) is not going to apply himself, but Katie (16) might be up for learning what they should've taught in grammar school!

I only seem to remember how to spell "grammar" because it is almost a palindrome. So weird how the mind works.

Why isn't printing adequate for handwriting?

Sorry for the grammar mistake. I sometimes use second person instead of third person, and it reads as a personal affront. When editing, I often make mistakes.

Even if learning grammar means me, it is still important :)

The primary purpose of language is cognition, not communication. Those who can't think have nothing to communicate.

The clown who downvoted this apparently doesn't know enough English grammar to know the difference between singular and plural and that the sentence it responded to does not make any sense. By all means, continue to keep learning grammar out of the schools.

I love to hand write letters and cursive is something I miss doing. db likes lists so he gets my bold, loopy handwriting. "Coffee" looks beautiful in cursive. so does "quick" and "dead"

yes, I can see that :)

Thoritsu, et al. -
I continually make the argument that people who want to use English well, and understand what they're doing, should study Latin. Those dumb rules that don't make any sense when applied to English were written for Latin, and once you understand them, you will know what a preposition is - and how to use it properly, not stiffly.

OK, your daughter can recite the Constitution. Can she explain it, using current events as examples either upholding or downpulling her choice of 5 important parts?

and modern cursive is NOT the way the Constitution was written - I have been a professional calligrapher, and I learned how to write copperplate with a modern "cheater" - a pen with an offset nib. I don't find much of it readable because it's too heavily ornamented.
I do think that people show know how to write by hand very quickly and very legibly by hand, and it does tend to result in a kind of print/cursive blend, and it doesn't have to be messy! and yes, I can show people how to do it.

It belongs to that list of skills, like Heinlein's list, that educated people should know - like "be able to make breakfast for 20 people".
edit to ensure delivery to intended recipient.

P.S. I would be happy to teach your children [depending on their ages] grammar long distance, if you like.

The scope of unconstitutional NSA surveillance is staggering, both in the politics and the technology that few have yet to read about. But the point here on recent attempts at reform is that for all the recent controversy and Rand Paul's stand, it barely began to address what is authorized in the Patriot Act. If Rand Paul had succeeded fully, it would have barely touched the abuse.

Haven't you ever heard a bass typewriter? They all had bells.

This problem is much deeper and broader than the abuse in the Patriot Act.

But even in that realm the recent debate on the Patriot Act reauthorization did not even mention many NSA mass warrantless surveillance practices: https://www.schneier.com/crypto-gram/arc...

A very tired typewriter. The trombone, being a tenor trumpet, doesn't have all that high of a range.

That only sounds like a typewriter.

hey, Mike -- wanna read a neat song review? . I bought
the online mp3 rendition of a doobies song, and then gave them this:::

[the song::: "south city midnight lady"]

You think China Grove is a good song? . This song is its
delicious, elaborate prom-hug soul-mate! . With every hit
from every instrument (and they use Lots Of 'Em!) just perfect,
it leaves you with the taste of spicy sweet lips and magnificent
body-rubbing love all over. . Haunting, glorious, masterful love
through the night, with no dawn in sight. . Enjoy!!! -- 12spring

[and another comment:::]

This song reminds me of a lover's reply, afterwards, one night:::
"That's Not Fair!" . She enjoyed more ecstasy than she had ever
thought she could. . Haunting. . Love.

That Was Fun. . both the review, and the special night -- j
.