Pet peeve: optional comma

[Dex]

(A) I had pancakes, eggs, and sausage for breakfast.
(B) I had pancakes, eggs and sausage for breakfast.

The missing comma in (B) is optional. However, it really irritates me when it's missing. Why? I don't know.

Does this irritate anyone else?

[Eurotrash]

gg

[InchoateHand]

It irritates me a great deal. Many stalwarts have sought to convince me that, in fact, it does not belong there. They are wrong.

Its absence is visually infuriating, and not remotely in line with actual speech.

[Manimal]

The most aggravating thing about this is that (B) is the correct way to write according to the Associated Press.

[InchoateHand]

Recourse to the AP strengthens the OP's disdain.

[lucas9000]

[ QUOTE ]
The most aggravating thing about this is that (B) is the correct way to write according to the Associated Press.

[/ QUOTE ]

that's journalism. in other types of writing it's not the only way to go, and some say b is wrong in contexts other than journalism.

[Los Feliz Slim]

I used to always go with (B), but got sick of being corrected and explaining to people that both were acceptible, so I just use (A) now.

Why are you so in favor of the extra keystroke?

[CrazyEyez]

The OCD in me shares your disdain for (B).

[billyjex]

I am a journalism major. Leaving off the last comma is actually correct AP style. I lose 2 points everytime I leave it in (this is when listing stuff. I'm going to masturbate, clean the kitchen, and then mow the lawn is different and correct.)

[Freakin]

The serial/oxford/harvard comma is useful for removing abiguity. If the writer writes so poorly that they can't remove abiguity without use of a serial comma, I'd prefer that they use it. It bugs me to read it, but not to write it.

Freakin