I love learning new words and terms, and as a writer, I never stop wanting to expand my understanding of the world around me. A new term I have recently learned is perspicuity. Now if like me, you are baffled - never fear.
A quick google tells us that perspicuity (a noun) is the ability to be clear, and easy to understand. Perspicuity is essentially effective communication.
This of course got me thinking - when it comes to our lives, how often are we reminded of our own perspicuity? In itself, it is no huge deal, but as humans, we are communicative beings - thus perspicuity is a skill that should be praised and something that we should all be striving for.
Certainly, without perspicuity, none of us would know anything at all. Perhaps not all teachers are blessed with the same abilities to help us learn - but what we do know comes from individuals being able to communicate effectively.
As a change-maker - I learn all the time from a huge amount of resources. They have all involved perspicuity. A brilliant example of this is Sophie William’s book Millennial Black - a book so full of insight and wisdom, I am still thinking about it months after reading it. It is accessible, clear, and most importantly takes your knowledge of key systemic issues up so many levels - I finished the book a different human to the one who started it.
Perspicuity is overlooked and forgotten. But, I would argue that it is one of the fundamental skills anyone who wishes to make change needs. So much of academia is complicated by stuffy language and archaic systems. This is the opposite of perspicuity - it shuts people out. This is how systems like hegemony have ruled on high for so long, by limiting access to knowledge, you get to control the people who don’t have it.
I think a brilliant lesson we can all take into next year, is the idea that simple effective communication is a key goal when it comes to helping others. We need to ensure that we create as much access wherever possible. This means looking at resources for all ages, a consideration to the financial access needed to view your resources, and the level of time needed to absorb them.
It is blindingly obvious to me, that moving forwards, perspicuity will be one of the biggest allies to accessibility, equity, and change for us all.
Shot by Ruth Pechey
