Precision, Clarity, Honesty

This may not be the time or the place for it, but recent events have gotten me thinking about some more abstract issues than I normally deal with here. Said events have kept me a bit too busy for a solid blog post, so in the interest of not letting this page go dark for too long, I'm posting this to tread water until I can write intelligently about something more interesting.

Let me be blunt: society, the way we talk to each other, American social culture, something - is innately deceptive. Our communication, mostly verbal, but written as well, comes with an asterisk: *this is probably not precisely what I want to say or what I really mean. This footnote is pervasive and invisible. There are rules about what you may and may not say to someone, depending mostly on your relation to that person. Unwritten rules - untaught, too. Learning occurs by osmosis or observation or desperation. What do you get at the end of that training? Circumlocution in the name of politeness. Equivocation as self-preservation. To be professional is to hide your meaning behind layers of words, not one of which means exactly what you want to say.

I am part of the Net Generation; the free flow of information is my air and water. To feel no pressure to equivocate is a relief. To speak freely without second guessing the words I choose is like taking a long drink when I didn't know I was thirsty. My theory of communication, ingenuous and naive, is this: we both need the same facts if we are going to have a productive interaction. It's the linguistic version of leveling the playing field. Mushy language allows for misinterpretation (possibly intentional!) and doubt. Be direct and clear with me. I will be direct and clear with you, and even if we find that we disagree, at least we are not floundering around not knowing where we stand.

I could play devil's advocate and speak in favor of ambiguity. The invisible laws of professional interaction provide a framework for anyone to speak to anybody else. Navigating the professional world within these boundaries is predictable and safe. Politeness greases squeaky wheels and smooths abrasive personalities. The language of professionalism is, however unfortunately, quite necessary. I'm well versed in it, so help me. I could choose to stand in favor of it, but I would rather say this: it is (and here is where I take issue) about presenting an image - language as a marker of professionalism. It feels dishonest. I will also say that there is no need to sacrifice politeness for honesty. There is a difference between brusque and honest, curt and clear.

Nothing is going to change - of course not. I'll even admit to some relief that there'll always be that safety net of indirect speech to fall back on. I'm just tired of padding my meaning and talking around issues. Here is what I want: precision, clarity, honesty. Those are my markers of professionalism. Are they yours?