This jargon is poisoning democracy | Columns

You are presented with two paragraphs of text that are particularly harmful. I’ll say it again just to be sure: since these paragraphs are by no means my fruit of the pen, the undersigned cannot be held liable for any damage suffered, direct or indirect, nor for any costs resulting therefrom.

No, this was not the piece of text yet, these were just my terms and conditions. Here we go. Hold on.

‘… That is why we as GroenLinks Zaanstad have submitted the motion ‘Effect evaluation: it takes two to tango’ to give the new steering committee a mandate in its role and to supervise an effect evaluation that provides insight into whether the guidelines that will be provided during the council term from 2022- 2026, will actually lead to change.’

‘At the end of the next council term, this would also be a nice moment for everyone to reflect on how they individually as a councilor, as a group, as a council and as an organization have contributed to improving the interplay, because indirectly the results will also add value to the citizens of Zaandam…’

That was the text. I hope you are well.

Above all, I hope that the citizens of Zaandam will survive the term of office of 2022-2026. Because if this horrible management jargon slowly but surely stifles municipal politics, then that is the beginning of the end of democracy as we know it.

This happens to be Zaanstad and also happens to be GroenLinks, but we need not have any illusions that this posturing is only used in that municipality.

Effect evaluation. Steering group. Mandate. Reflection moment. These are only two paragraphs, tweeted by a concerned Zaankanter, but you can bet it’s wrong that the following paragraphs are also full of excrement such as ‘flight path’, ‘change trajectory’ and ‘flexibilisation’.

In fact, the above motion was passed. A proud GroenLinkser shared the following, incomprehensible text, to make matters worse, laced with language errors: Motion passed! Proposal to evaluate the guideline that will be implemented by an independent steering group with regard to the effects of interaction between council, council and organization during council term. We’re going to succeed.’

To succeed? A slap in the face, that’s it. It’s the hollow language of business, developed by the alpha males of the marketing department to impress. Everyone nods in understanding, but no one dares to say that it is incomprehensible. The most important tool of politicians is language. This jargon is the poison that is slowly eroding democracy.

Time for a moment of reflection, I think.

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