Gold dust on making yourself understood

Trust thought for today - been pondering recently the connections between trust, communication and being really understood. And the link to the Bullsht work of previous posts.

Here is the gold dust from the Intro to the Economist Style Guide - which is a work of genius, and surprisingly witty. And for some reason I failed to know about until now.

"Clarity of writing usually follows clarity of thought. So think what you want to say, then say it as simply as possible. Keep in mind George Orwell's 6 Elementary Rules:

1. Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.

2. Never use a long word where a short one will do

3. If it is possible to cut out a word, always cut it out

4. Never use the passive where you can use the active

5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday equivalent.

6 Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous."

They also flip the quote and say 'Clear writing is the key to clear thinking'.

Interesting thought.

Thanks also to Anja Kasperson for adding to the comments the fabulous essay from Orwell Politics and the English Language.