Beware the BS

o Poser Syndrome: Using big language for the sake of using big language, trying to sound smart. Stilted. Roundabout. Awkward. Can say things much more directly.

§ “In the piece “Community of Truth,” Parker Palmer delivers a very interesting subject of thought with his beliefs and expansive details on the community of truth and its relation to the educational community.”

o Empty or vague language: What does author BELIEVE? I read this, and I have no idea what his claim is, what he argues. This is going to be an essential skill for your college writing: explain author’s claim / argument, evaluate that argument. Got to be able to cut to the chase.

§ “The Community of Truth” is a piece that talks about individuals, and the influence that a community has on that individual on how they study, see, construe the truth.”

§ “[Truth] means telling what is real and genuine, what is intelligent and thought-provoking, and means taking many intellectual steps towards what is correct in any human’s eyes.”

o Un-developed. Now, this *can* make you sound like you’re bullshitting, because you’re not fully explaining self and developing point, so we don’t know if you know what you’re talking about or not. Use concrete examples, explanations. Don’t just drop a statement and move on.

§ “I like how you say we cannot rob great things of their integrity because then it is not the whole truth, and many people tend to do that I believe. Truth is very important to maintain.”

§ “I believe [this article] would have been more interesting if it hadn’t gone into so much detail… I did not like or understand anything about the objectivist myth of knowing.”

o Hallelujah—beware overstatement. Light from heavens shines down on you. Come on! We’ve got to trust you. Part of this comes from most of you only explaining what you “completely agree with” and how this piece was “so well-written” and “vivid” and whatever. Believing Game, Doubting Game. Play both.

§ “Mr. Palmer, this article has inspired me to accomplish all my goals and to really do something good and useful in the world.”