Active or Passive?

i couldn't help but to lock this example of active and passive form Mr Alinson gave in his class right into my brain. Recall it repeatedly and never failed to giggle at its hilarity.

It's not meant to be funny but the way he put it was just interesting and to be honest, i will never forget it.

In the Business Communication lecture, Mr Alinson was to give a lecture on how to write a good report, the writing style and stuff. We have always been told that Science Students or Engineering students are to write their report or EVEN speech in passive form. I rang the bell when we were to write our Physics or Chemistry or Biology report in passive form back in high school. Guys can you remember??

So he went on with his encounter or i should say tale-telling session where he wrote a speech to be presented on a conference for engineers (can't really remember everything but i think it's similar). He wanted to make things easier for everyone, both the speaker and the audiences, so he decided to write everything in active form. Believe me it's much easier to understand and much less boring. But the people in charge responded him by saying that everything had to be written in passive form, as it's the rule that has been abode for years.

As a result, Mr Alinson replied the email, sarcastically which went this way (roughly):

"I suggest a coffee is to be had by you and me this weekend. The matter is to be discussed and a conclusion is to be drawn after that."

(this is not exactly what he wrote i put it into my own words, but the idea is the same)

So active or passive? Rules are meant to be bent when it's not compatible with the society anymore!