In fact, my academic background is primarily rooted in literature, heavy on the Shakespeare. I wanted, earlier in life, to become a liberal arts professor. Closer proximity to liberal arts professors cured me of that.
I can appreciate the clever and original use of language as well as anyone. But I know beyond doubt in most wastelands of academia, particularly the social sciences, it is used tediously, pompously, and pedantically far, far more often than cleverly or originally. I have nodded through far too many hours of dreary study in too many different subjects to be persuaded much differently.
There is genuine knowledge, and there is genuine jacking off. Some academics are extremely intelligent, but not especially gifted with words. Others are extremely gifted with words, but not especially intelligent. Over-reliance on jargon at the expense of clarity and sense is a common denominator for both.
Granted, there are flavors in between.
Sorry to hit an obvious sore spot. My box is much larger than you might think. I'm just not enthralled with jargon for its own sake, or obscurity for the purpose of suggesting something special or luminous is behind it that isn't. |
