Orwellian, Self-Contradictory Language from the New York Times

  Stuart K. Hayashi

The New York Times reports, "In a grim sign of the enduring nature of the economic slump, household income declined more in the two years after the recession ended [in June 2009] than it did during the recession itself, new research has found."

Um, if household income only worsened since June 2009, don't you think this indicates the recession didn't end in June 2009? The Times is saying that the economy is worse in a period of supposed economic recovery than during the recession.

The same article continues, "The finding helps explain why Americans’ attitudes toward the economy, the country’s direction and its political leaders have continued to sour even as the economy has been growing."

Um, don't you think that if the trend since June 2009 has been for the economy to worsen, that indicates the economy has not been growing?

The New York Times reporter's verbiage is like something out of 1984 or Alice in Wonderland.