On "Dumbing Down"

Maybe it is time to drop the phrase

Once upon a time, back in my journalism career, I recall having an article I’d written positively cited by a United States government agency devoted to clear speech, without jargon. I remember this now because of a LinkedIn post that crossed my feed:

My typical reaction to being told to stop using this or that phrase is to double down on the phrase, unless it is proven harmful. True to form, I am not convinced that the words “dumbing down” are disrespectful or insulting and if anyone takes offense to it, I’d tell them to lighten up.

But, the phrase is a cliche and like most overused terms, is probably not as useful as it was when coined. Also, the complaint speaks to the essence of The Middlebrow project. Everybody has the right (Sondheim reference there, if you care) to art, philosophy, economics, literature, music and all the rest. Everybody also has the right to be an artist, philosopher, economist, writer, composer or performer, even if they are not credentialed or celebrated.

Jargon, for lack of a better word, is how people within an exclusive group maintain their positions. There are not concepts or ideas beyond the comprehension of any other human you meet. To believe otherwise is pure egotism. Everybody you encounter has a biochemically similar brain to yours. If you can’t communicate to them, it’s likely on you.

Recently, The Middlebrow has encountered difficulties explaining things, across an array of subjects from math to society, to The Renaissance Son. The problem is not with the son. Every single time, the issue is that The Middlebrow lacks sufficient understanding and command of what he is trying to explain. People very often say, when commanding you to simplify a topic, that you should write for a “middle school” audience (at least in the U.S.). Well, it’s actually difficult to write for a middle school audience. I don’t think it’s because children are dumb. I think it’s because we mostly don’t understand ideas that we think we have long-ago mastered.

I started this missive with a recall to my journalism career. That wasn’t just nostalgia. Journalism allows a curious person to get paid for exploring a menagerie of subjects and topics. It is, in the best way, a lifestyle for dilettantes. Everybody should have this right. All topics are our topics and if a black hole leads radiation, you deserve a plain language answer why.

The alternative is a tyranny of elites (well, supposed elites, as you’ll have no basis to judge their qualifications). When scientists, philosophers, economists and others fail to communicate in plain language, they are either deficient in their understanding of their topics or deliberately obscuring the truth, to seem like wizards.

So, yes, we probably should retire the phrase “dumbing down,” for many reasons. First, it is unoriginal and brings no joy. Second, it implies a stupider audience, without proof. Third, it encourages charlatans to use flashy language to seem smart. Fourth, the use of overly fancy language can create an illusion of false understaning.

When you write about a complex topic for a “general audience,” it’s you, not the audience, being tested. Maybe, when we try to do this, we should smarten things up.