Thornton Hall
The Revolution Will Be Kuhnian.
The Revolution Will Be Kuhnian.
So how do you tell a good story when all the protagonists from one side are gone? When men like Ted Kennedy and Paul Wellstone--Camelot and the common touch--stand out on the Democratic side, who is the hero that provides the balance needed for "good journalism"?
Enter John McCain.
"Si Dieu n'existait pas, il faudrait l'inventer."
Translation: If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him.
This wasn't a big problem when a high school diploma qualified students for a career. But today, when post-secondary education is essential to secure employment, our system of providing it is separate but equal. If you didn't go to college, you still pay state taxes and fund State U, but your kids won't go there. Instead, they are left to fend for themselves in the jungle of trade schools, community colleges, and for-profits.
So how do scientists study the social behavior of chimps? How about wolves?
If we were studying chimpanzees, we might observe chimps grooming each other, i.e., cooperating to rid themselves of lice, and ask: "How do chimps decide which other chimps they will groom?"
Now, journalists. Their job is to attract eyeballs. How do you do that ethically?
The ethics of journalism have no answer for that question. In fact, they seem to suggest that journalists shouldn't even try to attract eyeballs. Instead, reporters job is to serve an employer called The Truth. What time does the boss want you to show up? Ask The Truth. No wonder they have no idea how to behave.
