You know how those of us who read The Lord of the Rings before the movies came out got all weirdly and annoyingly upset about all the “new fans” and how they should have “read the books years ago”? That’s how I feel about the em dash and its AI takeover.
The real issue isn’t me—it’s you. You simply don’t read enough. If you did, you’d know I’ve been here for centuries. I’m in Austen. I’m in Baldwin. I’ve appeared in Pulitzer-winning prose, viral op-eds, and the final paragraphs of breakup emails that needed “a little more punch.” I am wielded by novelists, bloggers, essayists, and that one friend who types exclusively in lowercase but still demands emotional range.