Non comprehendere

One reason readership in upper class newspapers and magazines is falling might be the incomprehensiveness of its written content. That is, only elites speaking in their intellectual bubbles can understand each other. Strunk and White’s elements of style are long gone - and plain talk along with them. Speaking of youth today, a writer comments about their "vacuous and dispiriting moral relativism." i.e. they have no morals. A memoir contains an admission of "the ruinous romance of loss." i.e. regret. What is "reflexive modesty" when assessing a person’s personality? Beats me. I read that the yuppy boutique, Starbucks, has a "crunchy-alternative vibe." Again I’m at a loss for meaning because I can’t think and read in an alternative world.

The "Elements of Style" have obviously be re-defined. Obama and his opaque double-speak typify this transformation. My old days are gone forever. As I have observed, little of what has been written after 1970 contains ‘classic,’ readable prose. And poetry? Don’t ask!

As candidate for PRESIDENT, I would be plain spoken.