>This is why reading most of what is nowadays being published as social
>and political science is mostly a conspicuous consumption of
>intellectual commodity akin to buying trendy clothes and other "cool"
>merchandise - good for showing off and vanity trips, but otherwise a
>waste of time.
In my experience, not being able to write clearly on a subject is a sure sign that I don't know what I'm talking about.
But writing clearly is a learning experience as much as reading is, if not more. Which is one reason it is such hard work. To simply assemble a collection of jargon and vague notions may require some effort too, but nowhere near as much effort as trying to develop sufficient understanding to actually write it down clearly.
Unclear writing is, quite simply, a symptom of unclear thinking. A certain technical skill is needed to make unclear thinking seem wise. This involves the use of a certain style of writing, lots of big words, ambiguous statements and impenetrable jargon. It is designed to fool the reader into believing that he/she is just too stupid to get it. But it is also designed to fool the writer into thinking he/she does get it.
Bill Bartlett Bracknell Tas