Do we still need the X to mark the spot? A study in the decay of punctuation

In today's fast-paced, ultra concise society of communication, few social media producers have time to check their grammar and punctuation, and even fewer social media consumers will care if there are mistakes (so long as the sentiments are clear). 

Courtesy of Beyond Thrilled

The "wild west" of communication, where no man's laws apply, is typically reproduced through social media fronts such as Twitter and Facebook, or instant messaging applications, including iMessage or texting.

A realm without punctuation. You know what that means? That's right baby, comma splices are in.

While punctuation is important in terms of grammar, it also eliminates some areas of potential confusion. A dedicated reader can strong-arm her way through each phrase to discover tone and establish a context, but certain marks make the jobs easier, e.g., question marks signal questions, exclamation points signal exclamations. The classic example of grandma's comma conundrum illustrates the importance of punctuation (specifically, the oxford comma):

Let's eat Grandma!               Let's eat, Grandma!

That phrase is completely warped by just a single comma. So why, then, are people quick to abandon punctuation?

• It's faster to ignore all punctuation and just type words
• Punctuation eats up characters, making it harder to use Twitter effectively
• Punctuation marks require learning as they are sometimes confusing
• Who really cares about semicolons?

These are just some of the many justifications for abandoning commas and full-stops everywhere. While grammar is important in terms of precision in communication, some trade the speed of language for its accuracy. What is more valuable in the Digital Age?

Sure, maybe a few dozen people will realize I misspelled that word and forgot an apostrophe, but at least they know what I intended to say - and I said it before anyone else could say it first!

It's dangerous to brush off grammar mistakes, especially when it can create problematic statements. Some rules are ignored, such as using comma splices in texting, or forgoing question marks when it's clear that a question is being asked - and there's a fair argument for that section of social media - yet writers must always exercise diligence to ensure they are not misleading and are being absolutely clear.

Where do you, kind reader, draw the grammatical line in the sand? How much punctuation is enough?