How Not to Do Journalism (Part II)
The morning after an assassination attempt, realigning what should never have been out of line
There's a lot of hand-wringing this morning about how media must do better, be less inflammatory; must appreciate that every bit of what we put into the world can accrue and contribute, in yesterday's case, to the attempted assassination. How in the long run does this happen?
It has always been my contention the journalist's job is to take the temperature down; to lay the pieces on the ground, walk around them, and say, okay, this is what we are dealing with. The aim is to have a cooling effect, especially when things are dire. You help organize people's thoughts and emotions, help them make proper decisions. People make notoriously bad decisions when they think it's an emergency, and I have a hard time understanding how grown-ass adults in the media have been shouting the sky is falling near full-time ever since Trump entered the political orbit.
It is utterly irresponsible to beat on embers in hopes they flare up, and all but unforgivable to put those embers there. Think about it: you're stranded on top of a mountain, who do you trust to help get you down, the person running around screaming "We're all gonna die!" or the cool-headed person thinking things through? Anyone who encourages chaos has their own agenda.
Which brings me to Trump, who, at times and even his great supporters admit, is an excellent agent of chaos. My hope, as he heals, is that the terrible experience of almost being killed adds to his store of calm, which will axiomatically lift the rhetoric and help us all do better.
Think you’ve heard me talk about this before? You have.
At it's base I have a similar feeling towards actors as I do journalists. There are a select few of both that through years of work and dedication to their craft I feel are owed some flexibility in their role in society. But for the vast, vast, bulk of either profession the phrase "Just shut up and do your fucking job" often comes to mind. I don't watch a show or come to a movie to hear your thoughts on currently political topics, I pay to be entertained, inspired, or engrossed by art. I don't open a paper to find out how I should feel, or to seek confirmation of my opinion. I read the news to understand what has actually happened in the world. Again, if Tom Hanks wants to start a foundation for vets and make films about war, the man has put the work in with his career that I trust him even with those very sensitive topics. If Dan Rather wanted to voice his emotion at a particularly troubling event, Rather earned it (and perhaps paid a price for cracking open that door later). But at the end of the day, eat what is on your plate first, then we can talk about dessert. You don't get to wear a title like actor or journalist like a badge to get into the party and then not do the job. Idk if there is a sort of journalistic Hippocratic oath but it should be first and foremost say the facts. People are already exhausted with the celebrities and actors out there, it was over before the "Imagine" sing-a-long IMO, but this Trump moment along with the Biden dementia reveal may be the equivalent shark jumping moment for journalists re: the public. I also feel like editors need to be held to greater account, cause I tell you what, those headlines from yesterday were some hot garbage regardless of the content of the post.
Lucky for us mouth breathers, there are still people like Nancy in the world. "Here are the facts, here is some humanity, I will let you know if things change.". I don't know how to put a value on this kind of thing, and it's what makes us all so grateful for her. A little fixed point in the sky to look at when it all starts spinning, and we feel sickened. Good stuff as always.