Why use 3 words when 33 will do?

“The move from a structuralist account in which capital is understood to structure social relations in relatively homologous ways to a view of hegemony in which power relations are subject to repetition, convergence, and rearticulation brought the question of temporality into the thinking of structure, and marked a shift from a form of Althusserian theory that takes structural totalities as theoretical objects to one in which the insights into the contingent possibility of structure inaugurate a renewed conception of hegemony as bound up with the contingent sites and strategies of the rearticulation of power.”

Judith Butler, Further Reflections on the Conversations of Our Time (1997)

The text above exemplifies Dawkins’ Law of the Conservation of Difficulty. Paraphrasing here: the easier an academic field is, the more it will try to preserve its difficulty using complex jargon.

I do and don’t agree with this. We’re all prone to overcomplication. Sometimes, it’s ego and insecurity; sometimes, we’re just in a bubble (the curse of knowledge). Whatever the case, the tricky bit turns something verbose and complex into something useful. To illustrate the point, here’s the introduction from an anti-bribery policy on a recent project:

“ACME Corp recognises and follows all applicable laws and regulations and respects lawful customs of the regions where we operate and transact. In Country A, under the provisions of Legislation B, acceptance or attempted acceptance of any form of illegal gratification (i.e., anything of value other than a legal entitlement) by a public servant is a punishable offence. Legislation C also has provisions to prevent corruption in corporate sector. In addition to the Legislation D, Legislation E, Legislation F, Legislation G, and other state-level regulations shall also apply to offences relating to or resulting in corruption and bribery and resolutions available. In conformity with that, we are committed to acting and building relationships based on integrity and fairness in all our dealings. Hence, ACME Corp has adopted a “Zero Tolerance” approach to bribery and corruption. Our Code of Conduct also articulates this intent in clear and express terms.”

Ooof!

AI won’t (yet) save either tract of text (I tried; they’re both beyond redemption), so it’s better to start afresh. However, it will provide readability scores and required reading age data. Try it. Take a tract from your (publicly available) linchpin documents (Code of Ethics, etc.) and see how it scores.