Government-Speak
You hear them talking or read a paragraph from a city document.
Everyday, they come up with new terms and words to describe what otherwise might not be acceptable to the public. It's called Government-Speak, likened to George Orwell's 1984, where today's progressive government probably got the idea.
An example might sound like this: “Even as stakeholders engage in inclusive dialogue, various forms of outreach on multi-model transportation will be the catalyst in the revitalization and connectivity as part of a diverse and multicultural community.” HUH??
You hear them talking or read a paragraph from a city document.
Everyday, they come up with new terms and words to describe what otherwise might not be acceptable to the public. It's called Government-Speak, likened to George Orwell's 1984, where today's progressive government probably got the idea.
An example might sound like this: “Even as stakeholders engage in inclusive dialogue, various forms of outreach on multi-model transportation will be the catalyst in the revitalization and connectivity as part of a diverse and multicultural community.” HUH??
Now read below the meanings they want you to get and what they really mean:
Stakeholder:
What they want you to think: Applying to those who have a vested interest in an
area, like you the resident.
What it really means: Those who have invested heavily in a certain outcome for their benefit.
Outreach:
What they want you to think: Engaging in public conversation for your input on city projects
What it really means: Those who have invested heavily in a certain outcome for their benefit.
Outreach:
What they want you to think: Engaging in public conversation for your input on city projects
before they start.
What it really means: Pretending to care what you think when the project is already a done deal.
Multi-modal:
What they want you to think: a vast array of ways to move the public from point A to point B.
What it really means: Pretending to care what you think when the project is already a done deal.
Multi-modal:
What they want you to think: a vast array of ways to move the public from point A to point B.
What it really means: Light Rail, period.
Dialogue:
What they want you to think: Listening to both sides to be fair and balanced.
Dialogue:
What they want you to think: Listening to both sides to be fair and balanced.
What they really mean: Telling you what you will have to put up with.
Inclusive:
What they want you to think: Letting everyone join in. What they really mean: Forced acceptance
Inclusive:
What they want you to think: Letting everyone join in. What they really mean: Forced acceptance
by you.
Consensus:
What they want you to think: Coming to a majority conclusion during a non-voting work study
Consensus:
What they want you to think: Coming to a majority conclusion during a non-voting work study
session.
What they really mean: If four agree, it will be done.
Connectivity:
What they really mean: If four agree, it will be done.
Connectivity:
What they want you to think: Various ways of getting from one place to another.
What they really mean: Light Rail, period.
Multi-cultural:
What they want you to think: many different races of people.
Multi-cultural:
What they want you to think: many different races of people.
What they really mean: LGBT
So now, the harmless statement above can be read as this: “Even as developers and council talk about including an LGBT ordinance, we still have to pretend to listen to the public via work study before deciding to run light rail through the downtown.”
So now, the harmless statement above can be read as this: “Even as developers and council talk about including an LGBT ordinance, we still have to pretend to listen to the public via work study before deciding to run light rail through the downtown.”
Of course the last one backfired on them as we took any form of fixed rail out of the transportation master plan. Sometimes what's good for the goose is good for the gander!
Guy Phillips
Scottsdale City Council
