Bad writing: it's not just for conservatives anymore!

The alicublog has a pithy fantasia on the state of writing today - you'll laugh out loud, if you can keep from crying.

Roy pins his argument to right-wing scribes in particular, because that's his thing - but I daresay this brand of mush-mouthed, obtuse writing is free from any political bent. Replace the conservative shibboleths of Roy's imagination with journalistic ones - for example, the writers who pen flattering opuses to Ayn Rand would instead turn in their muddled messes well before deadline, with the requested number of inches, using accurate (if dull) quotes that won't get anybody sued - and you have a fairly accurate picture of the newspaper business today.

That's not to say that clear, engaging writing isn't out there; it just isn't a job requirement. (This is true, by the way; my company's performance review form for reporters has no place to rate good writing - which, to me, means that the story doesn't actually have to make sense, so long as it's turned in on time and all the quotes are correct.)

My, how depressing.