Saturday, January 05, 2002
I Disagree
Bix has responded to my perspective on journalism with And I think the dictionary is wrong. The idea that any presentation of "facts" can be without interpretation is one of the dangerous myths of journalism.
Well, then, let me explain my position further: I think then, that those who are using certain words need to come to an agreement about how they define these words.
The pages of any newspaper contain any number of stories that are objective and simply-put-forward facts. That's also true of radio and tv news programs. Perhaps this should be called "reporting."
Then, perhaps, there's another level that can be called "journalism" that contains the perspective of the reporter.
And then, again, there's still another level that is "commentary," and that is where the writer conjectures, supposes, opinionates etc.
It seems to me various people are calling it "journalism" when they really mean one of the other two categories.
I find that discussions that don't lead to any conclusions go in circles because the discussees are using their personal definitions for the words they are using. I ran into this a lot in the field of education. Until there are accepted definitions of terms (and that's why we have dictionaries), while discussions are always interesting exercises in writing and thinking -- they aren't really productive. I remember that when I used to write "white papers" for the State Ed Department, I often began with a definition of terms, so that when discussions ensued, the real issues would be addressed and we wouldn't be stuck with each person arguing about something different based on his/her own definition of a certain word. It's amazing how much time was wasted because there were so many conceptions of what "arts-in-education" means. Once we stated what definitions we were using for specific terms, it was easier to move forward with discussions of the real issues.
For deep communication and change to happen, eveyone has to be using the same language -- or at least agree on the meaning of the fundamental terms being discussed.
Comments
Bix has responded to my perspective on journalism with And I think the dictionary is wrong. The idea that any presentation of "facts" can be without interpretation is one of the dangerous myths of journalism.
Well, then, let me explain my position further: I think then, that those who are using certain words need to come to an agreement about how they define these words.
The pages of any newspaper contain any number of stories that are objective and simply-put-forward facts. That's also true of radio and tv news programs. Perhaps this should be called "reporting."
Then, perhaps, there's another level that can be called "journalism" that contains the perspective of the reporter.
And then, again, there's still another level that is "commentary," and that is where the writer conjectures, supposes, opinionates etc.
It seems to me various people are calling it "journalism" when they really mean one of the other two categories.
I find that discussions that don't lead to any conclusions go in circles because the discussees are using their personal definitions for the words they are using. I ran into this a lot in the field of education. Until there are accepted definitions of terms (and that's why we have dictionaries), while discussions are always interesting exercises in writing and thinking -- they aren't really productive. I remember that when I used to write "white papers" for the State Ed Department, I often began with a definition of terms, so that when discussions ensued, the real issues would be addressed and we wouldn't be stuck with each person arguing about something different based on his/her own definition of a certain word. It's amazing how much time was wasted because there were so many conceptions of what "arts-in-education" means. Once we stated what definitions we were using for specific terms, it was easier to move forward with discussions of the real issues.
For deep communication and change to happen, eveyone has to be using the same language -- or at least agree on the meaning of the fundamental terms being discussed.
Comments
Thursday, January 03, 2002
Now, This Is Too Much Fun
I don't know how I got to this guy's site, but if you click on his site map and go to his Playthings, be prepared to lose track of a good deal of time. You can spend all day exploring this incredible site. Love it!
Comments
I don't know how I got to this guy's site, but if you click on his site map and go to his Playthings, be prepared to lose track of a good deal of time. You can spend all day exploring this incredible site. Love it!
Comments
Journalism vs Commentary
Hmm. I haven't read all of the discussions filling up lots of blogspace lately (I follow some of them from bix's Blog Roll), but I think maybe there needs to be some clarification of what "journalism" is in contrast to "commentary."
The dictionary defines journalism as writing characterized by a direct presentation of facts or description of events without an attempt at interpretation . That requires objective and fair reporting of facts and events. Now, granted, we don't have enough of that these days, but that's a different and the more substantial issue.
Commentary, on the other hand -- which is what most of the blogs and (I think) too many supposed journalists provide -- is personal reflection and comment on what has been put forth by what is supposed to be good, honest "journalism." Personally, I tend to read the editorial/commentary/perspective pages of a newspaper immediately after I read the puported facts on the front page. First I want to know what's going on. Then I want to know what others think about what's going on. And finally, I can go off and think about all of that myself and come to my own conclusions or speculations.
So, good thoughtful and/or creative and/or critical and/or riotous commentary is what people like me need to mentally gnaw, to viscerally digest, and eventually, to turn into commentary of our own. (No shit.)
Comments
Hmm. I haven't read all of the discussions filling up lots of blogspace lately (I follow some of them from bix's Blog Roll), but I think maybe there needs to be some clarification of what "journalism" is in contrast to "commentary."
The dictionary defines journalism as writing characterized by a direct presentation of facts or description of events without an attempt at interpretation . That requires objective and fair reporting of facts and events. Now, granted, we don't have enough of that these days, but that's a different and the more substantial issue.
Commentary, on the other hand -- which is what most of the blogs and (I think) too many supposed journalists provide -- is personal reflection and comment on what has been put forth by what is supposed to be good, honest "journalism." Personally, I tend to read the editorial/commentary/perspective pages of a newspaper immediately after I read the puported facts on the front page. First I want to know what's going on. Then I want to know what others think about what's going on. And finally, I can go off and think about all of that myself and come to my own conclusions or speculations.
So, good thoughtful and/or creative and/or critical and/or riotous commentary is what people like me need to mentally gnaw, to viscerally digest, and eventually, to turn into commentary of our own. (No shit.)
Comments
Love Those Arts
This evening I went with some friends to an exhibit at the Arts Center that
...brings together cutting-edge contemporary art and the industrial heritage of New York State’s Capital Region in a conceptual Call-and-Response based on the premise that both art and industry involve invention and problem-solving as a means of getting from initial idea to final product..
It wasn't at all what I expected, and, as I expected, it reminded me of how exciting it is to stretch one's awareness outside the box. For example, one installation, based on the artist's exploration of the Watervliet Armory (which, I believe, is the oldest continually functioning armory in the country), is a metal two-dimensional topographical construction of Tolkein's Middle Earth, with a street map of 1940s Berlin sort of etched into the surfaces of that construction. It's all suspended upside down from the ceiling, with arcs of chains hanging down that are supposed to simulate the trajectories of bombs.
While, intellectually, I barely "understood" many of the other installations (even when I read the artists' explanations) I certainly responded to them on a totally non-analytical level. Each visually deconstructed the essence of its "industrial partner" and, through the alchemy of art, rendered it mythic. The magic of art. Love it!
Comments
This evening I went with some friends to an exhibit at the Arts Center that
...brings together cutting-edge contemporary art and the industrial heritage of New York State’s Capital Region in a conceptual Call-and-Response based on the premise that both art and industry involve invention and problem-solving as a means of getting from initial idea to final product..
It wasn't at all what I expected, and, as I expected, it reminded me of how exciting it is to stretch one's awareness outside the box. For example, one installation, based on the artist's exploration of the Watervliet Armory (which, I believe, is the oldest continually functioning armory in the country), is a metal two-dimensional topographical construction of Tolkein's Middle Earth, with a street map of 1940s Berlin sort of etched into the surfaces of that construction. It's all suspended upside down from the ceiling, with arcs of chains hanging down that are supposed to simulate the trajectories of bombs.
While, intellectually, I barely "understood" many of the other installations (even when I read the artists' explanations) I certainly responded to them on a totally non-analytical level. Each visually deconstructed the essence of its "industrial partner" and, through the alchemy of art, rendered it mythic. The magic of art. Love it!
Comments
Getting the Hang of It
So, OK, I can't import images into a Blogger blog. If I ever get my web site done, I can play with them there. So it goes.
I found a site based in Portland, Maine for cyber seniors. I'm trying to figure out how I can get involved with them somehow. Except I also have been checking in on various blogs listed on the schoolblogs site, and I'm remembering just how stimulating it is to be involved with the learning of young people. Actually, I remembering when b!X lived at home and all of the information I used to absorb just from being around his world of constant exploration. I'm going to do some of my own further reading into those current blogs and then get in contact with some of those people. For example, Laura Shefler, whose sketches -- and more -- are full of such creative energy.
But first I have to go and have my All One vitamin shake for seniors and then take my 85 year old mother out grocery shopping. And then I'm going to iron on some "embellishments" on the black t-shirts I wear for non-formal ballroom dancing .
Meanwhile, I'm waiting to hear how my newly pregnant daughter, who lives outside of Boston is doing, 'cause she's been so nauseous that we haven't been able to get together for the holidays. So, as soon as she's up to it, my mom and I will drive out to Jamaica Plain to visit her (and her husband, of course; he's a mother-in-law's dream).
Comments
So, OK, I can't import images into a Blogger blog. If I ever get my web site done, I can play with them there. So it goes.
I found a site based in Portland, Maine for cyber seniors. I'm trying to figure out how I can get involved with them somehow. Except I also have been checking in on various blogs listed on the schoolblogs site, and I'm remembering just how stimulating it is to be involved with the learning of young people. Actually, I remembering when b!X lived at home and all of the information I used to absorb just from being around his world of constant exploration. I'm going to do some of my own further reading into those current blogs and then get in contact with some of those people. For example, Laura Shefler, whose sketches -- and more -- are full of such creative energy.
But first I have to go and have my All One vitamin shake for seniors and then take my 85 year old mother out grocery shopping. And then I'm going to iron on some "embellishments" on the black t-shirts I wear for non-formal ballroom dancing .
Meanwhile, I'm waiting to hear how my newly pregnant daughter, who lives outside of Boston is doing, 'cause she's been so nauseous that we haven't been able to get together for the holidays. So, as soon as she's up to it, my mom and I will drive out to Jamaica Plain to visit her (and her husband, of course; he's a mother-in-law's dream).
Comments
Wednesday, January 02, 2002
I'm Psyched
I remembered how to insert a new link in Blogs of Note. Now that's progress.
So my next challenge is figuring out how to insert an image. I guess that means I have to bug bix again. Hey, that's one of the things geeksons are for, right?
I started to put together a web page a while ago (altho' I never finished it), since I learned the basics of FrontPage at my former job. I even designed and maintained an internal staff web page and took the first shot at a web page for my former department, the New York State Office of Cultural Education. It's been redesigned since, but at least I had the experience of getting them online for the first time. I like to take on new projects that force me to learn. Hence, blogging. I just wish I could find other cyber-curious sandwich-generation retired people to link up with. Who knows. I'm still new at this.
Comments
I remembered how to insert a new link in Blogs of Note. Now that's progress.
So my next challenge is figuring out how to insert an image. I guess that means I have to bug bix again. Hey, that's one of the things geeksons are for, right?
I started to put together a web page a while ago (altho' I never finished it), since I learned the basics of FrontPage at my former job. I even designed and maintained an internal staff web page and took the first shot at a web page for my former department, the New York State Office of Cultural Education. It's been redesigned since, but at least I had the experience of getting them online for the first time. I like to take on new projects that force me to learn. Hence, blogging. I just wish I could find other cyber-curious sandwich-generation retired people to link up with. Who knows. I'm still new at this.
Comments
So This Is How It Works!
Well, thanks to schoolblogs.com, I'm getting the hang of how this blogging is supposed to work. They link to me; I link to them. That's a start. Now I have to go in and figure out (again) how to add a link in my Blogs of Note list. I'm finally on a learning curve, slow that it is.
Comments
Well, thanks to schoolblogs.com, I'm getting the hang of how this blogging is supposed to work. They link to me; I link to them. That's a start. Now I have to go in and figure out (again) how to add a link in my Blogs of Note list. I'm finally on a learning curve, slow that it is.
Comments
Tuesday, January 01, 2002
Just Another Day
So, with Leonard Cohen's new CD in the background, I scroll through hundreds of blogs in the Blogger directory, scanning for any that might deal with a life in process for more than five decades. This seems to be a world populated by the young and the infantile. There are exceptions, and while many of these seem to be involved in dense and worthy online bloggersations about the process and worthiness of blogging, I'm still convinced it all needs to be a lot more ubiquitous than it is to be important. There are a whole lot of us older folks out here who find it hard to get the hang of it all.
But it all takes up so much time!! Don't these people sleep? Don't they have to take care of anyone but themselves? Do they read anything that's not up on a monitor? Do they live on take-out?
Leonard Cohen is getting old. But he still writes great lyrics. So, where's his place in all of this? Where's mine? And does it matter anyway?
Can't find my Jennifer Warne's "Famous Blue Raincoat" album, speaking of great lyrics. Damn. This year I have to organize all of my stuff. Stuff. Stuff. Stuff. Stuff. Stuff.
May the lights in the Land of Plenty, shine on the turth some day. -- Leonard Cohen
Comments
So, with Leonard Cohen's new CD in the background, I scroll through hundreds of blogs in the Blogger directory, scanning for any that might deal with a life in process for more than five decades. This seems to be a world populated by the young and the infantile. There are exceptions, and while many of these seem to be involved in dense and worthy online bloggersations about the process and worthiness of blogging, I'm still convinced it all needs to be a lot more ubiquitous than it is to be important. There are a whole lot of us older folks out here who find it hard to get the hang of it all.
But it all takes up so much time!! Don't these people sleep? Don't they have to take care of anyone but themselves? Do they read anything that's not up on a monitor? Do they live on take-out?
Leonard Cohen is getting old. But he still writes great lyrics. So, where's his place in all of this? Where's mine? And does it matter anyway?
Can't find my Jennifer Warne's "Famous Blue Raincoat" album, speaking of great lyrics. Damn. This year I have to organize all of my stuff. Stuff. Stuff. Stuff. Stuff. Stuff.
May the lights in the Land of Plenty, shine on the turth some day. -- Leonard Cohen
Comments
