While I find the dash listed as an acceptable punctuation mark in all reputable style guides, I cannot accept it. So far as I can tell, the dash exists to set off sentence fragments from their contexts. However, any sentence fragment could simply be rewritten to create a proper sentence. Thus, the dash announces to the reader, "I, the writer, can't be bothered to take the time to construct sentences with care or, let's be honest, a modicum of attention; hence, you may reasonably conclude I don't like you very much."
In other words, the dash is the height of rudeness, and rudeness is never acceptable.
In other words, the dash is the height of rudeness, and rudeness is never acceptable.
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