!["The great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap between one’s real and one’s declared aims, one turns . . . to long words and exhausted idioms . . ." | George Orwell](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/8f/66/8f66809efd50291362a56d7c2f74834e.jpg?itok=3jB-_lw_ ""The great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap between one’s real and one’s declared aims, one turns . . . to long words and exhausted idioms . . ." | George Orwell")
"The great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap between one’s real and one’s declared aims, one turns . . . to long words and exhausted idioms . . ." That quote by George Orwell reminds us that honesty is usually presented in simple, clear, understandable, and succinct language.
In the real world, salespeople, lawyers, politicians and unethical business professionals often attempt to confuse prospects with qualifying statements and fine print.
Language is not a means to honesty. Character should be the root cause for us wanting to express ourselves using clear language.
Too often, politicians obfuscate our political dialogue and it hurts our democracy when citizens are confused about our national policies. They refer to massive spending on government programs as "investments" instead of expenses. Many elected officials also use statements that, while technically not lies, mislead voters.
Here are other quotes by George Orwell:
Political language... is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.
In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act.
Political chaos is connected with the decay of language... one can probably bring about some improvement by starting at the verbal end.
We have now sunk to a depth at which restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men.
If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.
Comments