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The lost Gladwell essay
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I’m not sure how I found this page, but I found it, and it provides some nice reading. It’s the official “disclosure statement” from the website of the author Malcolm Gladwell, writer for The New Yorker and author of the books Tipping Point and Blink, and Gladwell writes several thousand words about a host of fascinating topics all somewhat connected to his work.
Topics in this lost essay include: how often he gives speeches (a lot), why he sometimes charges a speaking fee and sometimes doesn’t (free for charities and academic institutions, usually), how many words The New Yorker expects him to write in a year (40,000 to 50,000), what he thinks about journalistic objectivity (mostly impossible, but still preferable), what party most journalists vote for (surprise!), and why his speechmaking and his financial success as a writer present him with a complicated ethical dilemma. And, as random as this sounds, Gladwell’s statement even includes a link to a page from Slate from 2000 where the Slate editors asked each of its staff members to explain who they were voting for in the 2000 election and why (I’ll make you dig for that fun link yourself in Gladwell’s lost essay, which is a great read for someone interested in writing, speechmaking, journalism, and ethics).
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Don?t blame racism
The comment on this would be longer than the article itself
But, over 90% of journalists are lefties (according to Slate’s own poll) and, since they lie often as lefties, I do not believe the assertion of the writer that journalists can keep their bias and opinion out of the news. No they can’t - and don’t. There are simply too many examples that disprove his claim of fair and balanced.
He may personally be an exception when he writs news - which isn’t often for him today as a novelist and magazine writer.
I’ve read both Gladwell’s books. They’re fascinating, and he’s a great writer, with a real knack for explaining complicated things.
Plus, neither book is very long, so you can read ‘em for free at the bookstore!
Llama: Actually, when Gladwell writes for the New Yorker, he often is writing about current events, if not outright news. But while the New Yorker isn’t a news magazine, per se, it *does* cover the news, just with a little more time behind it, since it’s much more comprehensive in its coverage than most sources.
And you’re kind of contradicting yourself by saying that journalists can’t keep their bias and opinions out of the news, but then apparently you think there can be exceptions to this? I think the real issue at stake is the *kind* of news reporting you’re considering.
I think the real pleasure of journalism, at least in its long form, is to have the privilege of listening to another person grapple with issues. Informed readers make for better writers (who in turn make for more informed readers — ah, the virtuous circle).
In any case, Gladwell’s essay was such a charm to read.
Thanks.