For all of the talk about a fourth branch of government, calling to account corruption on both sides of the aisle, and informing the people’s decisions with transcendent objectivity, the media has always been a bullhorn for specific biases. The virgin media of our youth did not exist, and it should not exist. As with every other facet of life in a free society, it is only competition that creates progress and openness. In media, this means diverse views and diverse sources, calling not only corrupt politicians into account, but each other as well.
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Samizdata quote of the dayAugust 3rd, 2010 |
 5 comments to Samizdata quote of the day |
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Good heavens, I thought everybody knew by now that members of the professional class don’t embarrass one another with awkward questions. Teh crass!
Yes.
This is where people like Bill O’Reilly (with their talk about how the media should be objective and how the “Founders gave them rights in return for them telling the truth to the folks”) are wrong – utterly wrong.
American newspapers in the Founding era (indeed up to the 20th century) were NOT “objective” they were openly and proundly partisan, giving a clear opinonated view of the world (wildly different views – one had a choice of newspapers with different opinions).
Nor did the Founders “give” anyone rights in return for them being a responsible forth arm of governent (or whatever).
Such a view of the past is false – it is drivil.
The Founders did not believe themselves to have the power to create and give rights (they were not modern Progressives) they RECOGNISED rights that were natural (created by God – not by government).
Nor were these rights for a special class of people (everyone had the right to express their opinions and see if anyone was prepared to buy them in print) – some Walter Lippmann elite of enlightened journalists acting as a united group leading the ignorant masses into the light.
That such views are so common (even among conservatives like O’Reilly) shows just how successful the brainwashing of “Schools of Journalism” (and other things that did not even exist in the Founding era) have been.
“But it is breaking down now Paul” – I hope so.
Talking of “drivil”, maybe we could have a new word, which I trust explains itself: drevil.
That’s a little unkind to Lippmann (who was a columnist, mostly, anyway). It’s been a long time since I read him but I’m pretty sure his objective was to convince, not to show his own superiority.
PersonfFromPorlock – the old Walter Lippmann turned against collectivism, just as the old R. Pound (was Dean of Harvard) did.
But that does not mean they should be given a pass for what they did when they where younger.
Glenn Beck is not wrong to read out stuff from Lippmann (how it is O.K. to use deception to get the ignorant masses to follow a line of policy they would never support if honestly presented and……) so much.
It is not beating up Lippman – it is that this attitude (the attitude that journalists, academics etc are an elite class like Plato’s gold Guardians who are entitled to use any means to control the lives of ordinary people “for their own good”) is still what is taught to journalists today.
Just as Dean Pound’s way of “interpreting” the Constitution (i.e. ripping it up) is what is taught today.
Yes these men repented – but it is not their repentance that is taught.