Mission Possible: Objectivity

Justin Smith

COMS220

Alban

2/16/11

Mission Possible: Objectivity

            After reading through the two opposing articles on objectivity in journalism, I’ve gathered some thoughts. I’m here to answer the question, “Can journalism be objective,” and for a short answer, up front and vulnerable, I will say yes.

            The first article that I read, which promoted objectivity in journalism, simply made more sense to me than the second article. Essentially, the message that was conveyed was that objectivity in journalism is a reality; you just have to play your cards right and state facts. You may have to betray friends in the process of being objective, or you may have to be a little more modest than you normally would when writing about the high accolades of your company. However, the fact still stands, objectivity in journalism is possible.

            Taflinger’s opposing article went heavily into the senses of the body and how we have the ability to detect external things with our physical body. He used holding a cup of coffee as an example of this. He said that when holding a cup of coffee, the brain is able to realize that it is hot, while another part realizes it’s weight, and another realizes it’s shape, and so on. He says that not everyone interprets these signals the same way, which I would agree with. However, I don’t believe that the physical senses of the body and objectivity in journalism are very comparable. When objectivity in journalism is done right, there shouldn’t be much, if any, room for interpretation, but simply factual content. The objective writer takes a “third party” position and evaluates the pros and cons of either side, discovers facts of either side, whether positive, negative, or neutral, and then states them in a clear, concise, and consistent manner.

            If the writer can do this, then objectivity has been achieved. Now to sum it up: I believe that objectivity is possible, but not necessarily easily achieved. It takes a great deal of skill, and not to mention self-control to be an objective writer, but it is possible to achieve objective journalism. 

To Lie, or Not To Lie?

                                            To Lie, or Not To Lie? 

In the article “Why Tell the Truth,” Joseph Stowell sheds light on the virtues of the forgotten value of truth; moreover, he exposes the incredible detriments of falsehood. Stowell explains the spiritual consequences of lying, and the different forms of non-truth that manifest in daily life. These different forms of non-truth are beguilement, deceit, lying, and false witness. Stowell identifies specific passages in the Bible for reasons that we, as Christians, shouldn’t lie. A few of the specific passages can be found in Proverbs 6:17, Revelation 21:8, and Psalm 51:6. Truth is so important to God – it aligns us with Him, and when we speak non-truth, we are actually identifying with the devil and his nature, rather than God.

Nowadays, it’s very easy to let non-truth slip through the cracks and be found as acceptable. Modern journalists sometimes speak non-truth through beguilement. Beguilement is the tendency to come to a wrong conclusion or false assumption about someone or something without sufficient evidence to prove it as true. This can lead to destructive rumors and vilification of someone’s reputation.

While beguilement is defined as jumping to false conclusions without sufficient facts, deceit is taken certain facts and twisting them to distort truth. Stowell uses a Biblical example to display deceit in it’s most original form. He uses Satan’s presentation of the tree to Eve and how he twisted the words of God to make Him appear to be a restrictive and unloving God, rather than a God who is genuinely loving and caring for the well being of his creation. Deceit destroys trust, and tears down relationships, and ultimately led to the fall of man.

Lying is the most direct way of communicating non-truth of the four forms that Stowell describes. We lie almost every day. We all know what it is, and it almost doesn’t need any explaining. Many believe the lies of the devil because he’s so good at it. He’s the father of lies – it’s his language. According to Stowell, “Lying is the strength of Satan’s system. Not only does he lie, but his desire is that we will lie as well. When we lie, we imitate Satan rather than God.” That’s a harsh reality.

The fourth form of non-truth that we use is false witness. Many have, to some degree more than others, given false testimony against someone for their own personal gain. It’s destructive, and God’s tenth commandment to us says not to do it.

I believe that Stowell does a great job in explaining the damage and consequences that non-truth has. He also logically breaks down all of the nuances of non-truth and it’s different forms. This is a must read for the modern Christian journalist!