Interesting thought Linda-

This may not be your question but generally the main notes that need to be distinguished, unless your playing a syncopated rhythm is the first beat of the measure determined by your time signature.

Now with that said - how you handle an 8th note strum kind of follows what your heart tells you. Sometimes, it's carefully being sure that the notes come clean and evenly tempered. Other times, you feel that a distinguishing the "off beat" 8th notes sounds pretty sweet.

Your question has given me cause to think and a couple of ideas I want to try on some songs I'm working on.