Bullshit.js (mourner.github.io)

Article summary

Bullshit.js is a JavaScript bookmarklet that evaluates the impact of market-driven text on web resources. It uses a dictionary to identify and translate buzzwords and corporate jargon into the word 'bullshit'. The tool aims to cultivate process-centric innovation and out-of-the-box thinking. Users can contribute to the dictionary to improve its effectiveness.

Main themes

• corporate jargon
• academic writing
• critical thinking
• language clarity
• technological solutions

What commenters say

• The tool is needed in academia to counter hyped-up phrasing in academic literature.
• Some fields, like computer vision, may not suffer from gratuitous jargon, unlike others.
• The problem of obscure writing is systemic and not just the fault of individual authors.
• Clear and direct writing is prized in some disciplines, such as the humanities.
• Automated tools like Bullshit.js can help highlight meaningless words, but may not be able to suggest alternatives without perpetuating the problem.
• The tool's approach can be seen as a form of commentary on the dangers of bullshitting, as discussed in philosophical works like 'On Bullshit' by Harry Frankfurt.
• Bullshit.js can be used to evaluate one's own writing, but some users would prefer a more secure and user-friendly interface to do so.
• The effectiveness of Bullshit.js in revealing meaningless language can be limited by its reliance on a dictionary and may not always produce accurate results.