Geoffrey MillerVerified account

It depends. Sometimes a good anecdote can humanize a story, or illustrate the importance of arcane policy on the lives of people.

It is an stylistic choice that is all too often abused in today’s written media. I would be happy if it goes extinct tomorrow.

I skim read most articles to get to the meat.

Super DUPER annoyed

This is a rhetorically effective technique, which can make for good, persuasive writing—but it also can mislead people, and distract them from considering evidence about issues in a balanced way.

Trick question. I quit reading it after first paragraph.

anecdotal leads should be 1 graf if it's a shorter piece. anecdotal, scene-ledes can go longer if the piece is like 3,000 + words

Generally stop reading, flick to the next thing. Even consumer tech or car magazines (sort you read while waiting at the dentist) are often like that.