Mar
22nd
2017
This is why you need the Oxford comma! · 11:15pm Mar 22nd, 2017
You think Oxford commas don't matter? You think they're just quibbling and trivial?
Guess what: Some company just lost about $10 million because there wasn't one.
It's funny because it's not me.
But it's terrifying because it could be anyone.
Seriously, write clearly. Ambiguity will come back to haunt you. And isn't a bunch of ambiguous ghosts skulking around your house the last thing you want? 
As a technical writer, I certainly recognize the importance of the Oxford Comma... in technical writings. In fiction and the like I'll let people do what they want, because regardless of which side you pick someone's going to be mad at you.
I agree.
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So, what you're saying is, misuse commas all the time so, everyone will be mad at you?
The sensible way to look at the Oxford Comma debate is to compare downsides.
Downside of using the Oxford Comma:
- Some people get annoyed, I guess?
Downside of not using the Oxford Comma:
- "I despise my parents, Donald Trump and Rachael Ray."
Seems like a really easy choice to me. My English teacher was right: "if you have two choices and one of them makes you the offspring of Rachael Ray, pick the other one."
We Brits will do something about this when you Americans stop writing dates MM/DD/YY. I think that's a fair exchange. :P
That's been in my profile tagline since day one, "I believe in the Oxford Comma..."
Also, my favorite example (despite it's failure to capitalize names):
i.imgur.com/no7pL.jpg