How Much Doublespeak Can One Day Hold?
To illustrate the prevalence of doublespeak, let’s follow John Citizen throughout his day, as doublespeak is thrown at him from all sides: on the drive to work, at work, on the way home, at the store, and at home. On the drive to work, John tunes in to his favorite AM station, and hears that US troops are beginning a “rescue mission” in an obscure “developing nation.” It is hoped that the “incursion” will go quickly, with “weapons systems” achieving “effective results” during their first “visit” and with little “collateral damage” caused by “incontinent ordnance.” At work, John goes to lunch with some friends. He learns his company is implementing “operation excellence” in which at least one-third of the employees will be “involuntarily separated from the payroll.” Management is “refocusing the company’s skill set,” by practicing “work reengineering” and “proactive downsizing.” He wonders what he will say on his next application: “I was chosen to participate in the ‘voluntary resignati
