good summary of the situation. I can't see how this firing was at all a good staffing decision on the part of the NYT. Honestly I've noticed more and more that the Wapo is providing more reporting that I want to read then the times.
I think news organizations place a higher value on publishing news items then they do protecting news organizations as a group. I think too many of the people that work in news have a left wing ideological bent that leads to selection bias issues, but that's really not in play here.
The culture clash that is coming is between the remaining print subscribers, born in a past where words and deeds meant something and things were complex, and the maleducated rabble that think that the surface is everything.
Kevin, "tl;dr" is the epitaph for our modern society. It's all cheerleading these days. My nightmare of high school student council running the world is coming true.
Patterico, this is a good summary of a terrible situation. We all need a new Jonathan Swift to make an amusing parody of the craziness that has invaded our society. Because it makes me sad daily.
As you know, Patterico, I have personally had trouble, three times, in academia. Each time, I was lied about in a situation designed to cause me trouble at work. Specifically. I cannot understand a mindset that tries to do such things, but I can promise you the people doing in nowadays are NOT super focused on their targets. They are verbally attacking whomever, and then moving on to the next target. They honestly don't care what happens next. And there is a whole bureaucratic structure that has sprung up in support of it---a real world version of Cadmus' sowing of dragon's teeth.
Part of it is absolute ignorance of historical perspective, coupled with a remarkable ability to ignore parts of history that do not fit narrative. Part of is is a weird seemingly religious conviction of their own certitude. And the other part, alarmingly, is (again) ignorance of how others could use precisely the current set of tools to advance horrific (to them) ideas.
I think you are correct that some of the press' antics are employment based---bringing down possible competitors and enhancing new job opportunities. But too many folks are empty eyed "true believers." Eric Hoffer's book is increasingly valuable.
I strongly recommend following John McWhorter's substack, and getting his book when it appears. It belongs next to Sowell's "Vision of the Annointed." This is NOT about white versus black. It's very much about putting people into different groups, paradoxically, as in Huxley's "Brave New World."
I'm glad I am retiring soon. I have so many stories of things taking place, right now, that are both illegal and unethical, in service of....whatever this new world view has become. A mixture of preening pride with oikophobia?
good summary of the situation. I can't see how this firing was at all a good staffing decision on the part of the NYT. Honestly I've noticed more and more that the Wapo is providing more reporting that I want to read then the times.
Sooner or later, the same "attack philosophy" will lead to different news organizations going after one another...even in hypocritical ways.
I think news organizations place a higher value on publishing news items then they do protecting news organizations as a group. I think too many of the people that work in news have a left wing ideological bent that leads to selection bias issues, but that's really not in play here.
The culture clash that is coming is between the remaining print subscribers, born in a past where words and deeds meant something and things were complex, and the maleducated rabble that think that the surface is everything.
Kevin, "tl;dr" is the epitaph for our modern society. It's all cheerleading these days. My nightmare of high school student council running the world is coming true.
Basically. The worst thing about information in the social media age is that people scroll past headlines and think they're informed.
Patterico, this is a good summary of a terrible situation. We all need a new Jonathan Swift to make an amusing parody of the craziness that has invaded our society. Because it makes me sad daily.
As you know, Patterico, I have personally had trouble, three times, in academia. Each time, I was lied about in a situation designed to cause me trouble at work. Specifically. I cannot understand a mindset that tries to do such things, but I can promise you the people doing in nowadays are NOT super focused on their targets. They are verbally attacking whomever, and then moving on to the next target. They honestly don't care what happens next. And there is a whole bureaucratic structure that has sprung up in support of it---a real world version of Cadmus' sowing of dragon's teeth.
Part of it is absolute ignorance of historical perspective, coupled with a remarkable ability to ignore parts of history that do not fit narrative. Part of is is a weird seemingly religious conviction of their own certitude. And the other part, alarmingly, is (again) ignorance of how others could use precisely the current set of tools to advance horrific (to them) ideas.
I think you are correct that some of the press' antics are employment based---bringing down possible competitors and enhancing new job opportunities. But too many folks are empty eyed "true believers." Eric Hoffer's book is increasingly valuable.
I strongly recommend following John McWhorter's substack, and getting his book when it appears. It belongs next to Sowell's "Vision of the Annointed." This is NOT about white versus black. It's very much about putting people into different groups, paradoxically, as in Huxley's "Brave New World."
I'm glad I am retiring soon. I have so many stories of things taking place, right now, that are both illegal and unethical, in service of....whatever this new world view has become. A mixture of preening pride with oikophobia?
We all know the Yeat's bit:
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity."
I see it at every department and faculty meeting.
Thank you again,
Sorry you had to go through that Simon
Thank you.