I think most journalists — myself included — are small-l liberals. That’s not to say we’re small-l liberals in the political sense. Indeed, I’ve long held that journalists are like any other group: A bunch probably voted Conservative in the last election; a bunch voted New Democrat and a bunch voted Liberal. (In Quebec, some may even have voted for the BQ). But I and, I think, many journalists, like to conceptualize themselves as free thinkers who resist dogma, power, authority, arbitrariness, etc. and that would make us small-l liberals in a philosophical sense. For proof, I offer up the following 10 commandments, put forth by big-l Liberal philosopher Bertrand Russell in 1951 as 10 guides for teachers but I think they are all likely philosophical touch points for most Western (small-l liberal) journalists: Read more…
Archive for May 6th, 2012
Why are most journalists small-l liberals? Russell might have some answers
Watching elections in Kosovo, Greece and, of course, France
Voters are at the polls this weekend in France, Greece and Kosovo. Will update this post with notes, etc. as they become available:
Voter turnout in the ballot facilitation in Kosovo was reported at approximately 17 per cent by 14:00 hrs today by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.
Socialist Party (PS) candidate for the 2012 French presidential election, Francois Hollande visits a village in the neighbourhoods of Tulle, southwestern France on May 6, 2012 during the second round of the election. (AFP PHOTO JEFF PACHOUD)
In France, incumbent President Nicolas Sarkozy is out and the champion of the Socialist Party Francois Hollande (above) is in: Read more…
