For today, let’s set aside the incompetency of our administration and get down to what’s really stressing Americans. Yes, I’m talking about a reprehensible practice that companies and organizations have raised to a vulgar art form. It’s the practice of making the legible intentionally illegible.
Companies and organizations routinely direct you to their websites for instructions, manuals, forms and other important information. Customers often need a hard copy of this material. But what comes out of the printer? The text prints out in 2-, 3-, or 4-point type. To add insult to injury, the type isn’t black. No, some aspiring graphic artist decided it would be more aesthetically pleasing if the type was gray.
If you’re a bald eagle or own an electron microscope, no problem. For those of us in the real world with normal vision, the printed text looks more like hieroglyphics than English.
I experience this daily. My first reaction is always, “What are these companies thinking or hiding?” Legibility is especially important when dealing with medicines or any products that might be harmful if used incorrectly. And, don’t even get me started on the instructions and disclaimers printed on product bottles, boxes and bags.
