The Myth of Objectivity: Why Removing "I" Doesn’t Make Writing More Neutral

 

Back in high school, one of the most repeated writing rules I heard was, “Never use ‘I.’” Teachers said it made your writing too personal, too emotional, not academic enough. So, like a lot of students, I tried to avoid it. I’d rewrite sentences over and over just to dodge saying something like “I think” or “I believe.” But here’s what I’ve come to realize: leaving out “I” doesn’t actually make writing more neutral—it just makes it harder to tell where the writer stands.

When you think about it, every piece of writing comes from someone. Even if you take yourself out of the writing, you’re still the one choosing what to include, how to say it, and what you think is important. That doesn’t go away just because you left out a pronoun. In fact, I’d argue that pretending you’re not there just makes the writing feel more distant and harder to connect with.

Kimberly N. Parker, in her essay Never Use “I”, says something that stuck with me. She writes, “Writing can become a disembodied task… devoid of any joy, connection, or feeling.” I’ve felt that myself. There’s a difference between writing because you want to say something and writing just to follow the rules. When you’re told to leave yourself out, the whole process can start to feel cold and robotic.

Also, cutting out “I” doesn’t magically make your ideas objective. Your thoughts and opinions are still there. You’re just hiding them behind passive voice or vague phrasing. That’s something Julia Molinari talks about in her research. She says that removing first-person pronouns doesn’t make writing more fair—it just hides the fact that someone is making choices. In a way, it can even be misleading.

There’s also this strange double standard. Students are told not to use “I,” but professional writers do it all the time. Academic papers, articles, essays—you’ll find plenty of examples where authors clearly say what they think, using “I” without hesitation. So why is it okay for them, but not for students? Maybe it’s time to start rethinking that.

I’m not saying every sentence needs to start with “I.” Of course not. But being allowed to use it gives you more freedom as a writer. You can be clearer about your point, explain your thought process, and help readers understand your perspective. That’s not a weakness. It’s actually a strength.

Instead of banning “I,” teachers could help students learn how to use it well. There’s a big difference between thoughtful, intentional first-person writing and stuff that just rambles on. Students should be taught how to strike that balance—when to bring themselves in and when to step back.

Writing isn’t just about getting points for following rules. It’s about figuring things out and communicating clearly. And sometimes, the clearest, most honest way to do that is to say, “Here’s what I think.”

Before you go:
Have you ever tried writing something important without using “I”? Did it help—or just make things more confusing?

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