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Sunday, May 25, 2008

Nuance

I went to a talk by Rex Smith of the Times union newspaper who was talking about "Communication for Citizenship: How Journalism Can Help Sustain Society's Progress." One of the points he made was that if he were hiring a new reporter, he'd rather get someone who understand nuance rather than someone who was just a good writer. As the chair of the Education for Journalism Committee of the American Society of Newspaper Editors, he is seeking to develop the same thing in young potential readers.
But, the last questioner (I) asked, "How do you teach 'nuance'? It seems that so many institutions in the past 20 years are polarized, from Congress to elements of the press." On the hiring side at least, Rex talked about looking for intelligence, people who can look at the whole picture.

Some people still seem to think that it is inconsistent to "support the troops" unless one supports the war they are fighting in. I so disagree. I think that one can oppose the war in Iraq, which I have from the very beginning, actually before it started, while appreciating the sacrifices of people in the military and their families.

I think "supporting our troops" would have meant getting them the vehicles and body armor necessary to withstand roadside bombs much earlier. I think "supporting our troops" involves supporting a G.I. Bill for our returning troops. I think "supporting our troops" means getting them home ASAP.



ROG

2 comments:

GayProf said...

I think opposing the war is the ultimate way to support the troops.

Anthony said...

I wonder how much thinking in nuances is a matter of developing a skill and how much of it is a matter of temperament? Some people I have met seem to be deeply oriented in a polarized way. What I am not sure is if that posture toward the world is a matter of a long developed habit, or an expression of an underlying genetic disposition. Perhaps this is just another expression of the whole nature -vs- nurture thing.