Last fall, Popular Science made the carefully constructed decision to turn off the ability for its online readers to comment on articles. Why would a publication designed to encourage scientific discussion and debate remove the very feature that allows this? The answer is simple-online comments do more to hurt than help positive discussion. While far from a majority, a small minority of internet trolls and anti-intellectuals can actually hold the power to influence other readers' views on articles.
Popular Science cites a study by the University of Wisconsin, which found that readers were more likely to think strongly of the negative sides of a story after reading user comments.
I think on matters of science, those who bring erroneous and hate-filled commentary to an article can be especially dangerous. As Popular Science noted, "A politically motivated, decades-long war on expertise has eroded the popular consensus on a variety of scientifically validated topics." That last part is crucial. Things that have been proven to be true by a wide array of scientists, with almost no argument from anyone in the scientific community are being tossed back up in the air by folks who have no clue what they're talking about.
Now, I'm not going to pretend I'm an expert on science, but I like to think I have the wherewithal to at least trust those who do. The world of anonymous online commenting doesn't seem to agree. So, I'm all for the magazine turning off the comments feature.
Now comes a tougher question: Is this the right move for other online outlets as well?
I think the answer, as much as it kind of hurts me to say it, is yes. One of the most important tenets of journalism at its very core is to inform people so they can debate amongst themselves in order to make an educated decision. Questions of concrete science, where there isn't much debate to be had about facts is one thing but most other news that we as journalists produce and distribute is released in order to help folks come to their own conclusions. For many, a vital part of the decision-making process is to talk with one's peers and discuss positives and negatives on an issue. Despite the fact that there will be those who abuse this process, it's an important one and one that dates back to the founding of our nation when our forefathers gathered constantly to weigh the issues at hand.
The internet makes things tricky because people tend to be far more cruel and nonsensical when under the cloak of anonymity but that's something we can get around. People say stupid things in person too and, if we're wise, we'll just choose to ignore it.
-Taylor Wilson
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Ira Glass on Storytelling
I recently watched a clip of Ira Glass, host of radio program This American Life, talk about storytelling and its challenges when starting out.
Ira stressed the fact that those who go into creative work do so because they have good taste but when starting out, many creative minds don't make very good work. This isn't because they aren't talented or don't have an abundance of creative juices. Rather, it's because good work simply takes a lot of practice and a lot of bad predecessors before it makes itself seen.
As a writer, creator and aspiring journalist, these words were extremely inspiring and I think ring very, very true. Creative work is unique in that there is never a right or wrong answer. Therefore, the quality of the work is tough to assess. That said, artists with good taste know the difference and it can be really disheartening to put your entire soul into something and have it come out the other end as a disappointing final product. There's definitely something to be said for making more and more stuff, whatever it may be in order to finally start creating work that you can be proud of.
I'm not sure if I've reached the point where I can start enjoying and really feeling proud of many of my final products. With most of the things I create, I feel good about their completion and find myself in a kind of neutrality about their quality. I don't think they are bad but none of them are transcendent or particularly innovative. I'm confident that as I make more creative work, things will improve. How good will they be? That remains to be seen, but they will get better. Thanks, Ira.
-Taylor Wilson
Ira stressed the fact that those who go into creative work do so because they have good taste but when starting out, many creative minds don't make very good work. This isn't because they aren't talented or don't have an abundance of creative juices. Rather, it's because good work simply takes a lot of practice and a lot of bad predecessors before it makes itself seen.
As a writer, creator and aspiring journalist, these words were extremely inspiring and I think ring very, very true. Creative work is unique in that there is never a right or wrong answer. Therefore, the quality of the work is tough to assess. That said, artists with good taste know the difference and it can be really disheartening to put your entire soul into something and have it come out the other end as a disappointing final product. There's definitely something to be said for making more and more stuff, whatever it may be in order to finally start creating work that you can be proud of.
I'm not sure if I've reached the point where I can start enjoying and really feeling proud of many of my final products. With most of the things I create, I feel good about their completion and find myself in a kind of neutrality about their quality. I don't think they are bad but none of them are transcendent or particularly innovative. I'm confident that as I make more creative work, things will improve. How good will they be? That remains to be seen, but they will get better. Thanks, Ira.
-Taylor Wilson
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Controversial Photo Essay
Every day, journalists are faced with tough ethical decisions about when to intervene, what to document and ultimately what to publish.
Photojournalist Sara Lewkowicz was tied down with such choices when chronicling a family plagued by domestic violence in a photo essay published through Time Magazine. She was met with harsh criticism after her documents of a family's daily life included several photos portraying domestic violence. Many thought Lewkowicz should have intervened. Others didn't feel like the photos should be published.
The author's response was defensive but sensible. She said she felt intervening as a 5'2 female would not only endanger herself but not help the situation at all and that it was her who called 911 to ultimately involve the police, leading to the arrest of the male abuser.
I personally take very little issue with the decision to publish these images. With the consent of those involved, the pictures help raise awareness of a serious societal problem, instead of just pushing it under the rug. Should Sara have intervened? Probably not. Anyone who says otherwise needs to ask themselves if they would have done so, much less if they were in the shoes of a 5-foot tall female. I think Sara made the right choice both morally and journalistically in taking and ultimately publishing these photos.
Photojournalist Sara Lewkowicz was tied down with such choices when chronicling a family plagued by domestic violence in a photo essay published through Time Magazine. She was met with harsh criticism after her documents of a family's daily life included several photos portraying domestic violence. Many thought Lewkowicz should have intervened. Others didn't feel like the photos should be published.
The author's response was defensive but sensible. She said she felt intervening as a 5'2 female would not only endanger herself but not help the situation at all and that it was her who called 911 to ultimately involve the police, leading to the arrest of the male abuser.
I personally take very little issue with the decision to publish these images. With the consent of those involved, the pictures help raise awareness of a serious societal problem, instead of just pushing it under the rug. Should Sara have intervened? Probably not. Anyone who says otherwise needs to ask themselves if they would have done so, much less if they were in the shoes of a 5-foot tall female. I think Sara made the right choice both morally and journalistically in taking and ultimately publishing these photos.
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