I like Jay Rosen’s perspective on journalism in a time of wicked problems. (Thanks to Harold Jarche for the link)
Near the end Rosen calls for “savage clarity” in journalism. Harold picks up on that phrase and I like it too. What appeals to me is that it’s paradoxical. People like their clarity hygienic and sharp edged but when you’re dealing with human beings in all our complexity that’s really a pipe dream. Savage – to me – suggests two correctives to this: first, it implies something a bit rough at the edges, and second it includes some passion. It gets away from the clinical. It certainly avoids the journalistic fallacy of the voice from nowhere.
It reminds me too of Anne McCrossan’s formula of blatant integrity.
I don’t know about you, but I like the sound of public debate that aims for savage clarity and blatant integrity.
