"If you don’t tell the truth about yourself you can’t tell it about other people." -- Virginia Woolf
Truth to tell, I could start every essay with a quote from Virginia Woolf, but this is my first time and it's one of my favorite's.
It's also true on many levels including the essence of the dilemma for journalists. We tend to be very good telling other people's stories, including digging out details that some of those people would prefer stay hidden.
But one of the main raps against journalists is we often come off as if we held the moral high ground, wagging our finger at those we catch in wrongdoing or power grabbing.
Even the happy stories, the inspirational stories, take a toll on the story-teller. Could we ever hope to be that noble, to be that brave ourselves?
It's understandable that audiences feel like killing the messenger sometimes because the messenger is rendered by the process so easily judgeable.
These realizations hit home for journalists after the thrill of doing the work for a certain span of time, typically as they reach the age of 40 or so.
Therapists call it a midlife crisis, which of course applies to a far wider swath of the population than the comparably small cohort of journalists.
It's just that in some jobs, people can escape self-examination by telling themselves "it's only a job," a luxury journalists rarely enjoy.
That is the consequence when seeking truth is your occupation. Only the most conceited can convince themselves they are in a position to actually judge the sins of others, when a close look in the mirror always reveals there's a sinner at the wheel.
So there's a pivotal moment in any journalistic career, where the reporters have to turn inward, for the good of their craft and for their own grasp on sanity.
When my students, employees, and young friends hit this wall, I usually try to advise them to "write your way out of it." What I mean by that is writing can be therapeutic if you make it as honest as you can.
If only for yourself, and not to be seen by others, this kind of writing can be a way to cleanse the soul and refresh your voice. I love it when people keep journals. These days, a blog is perhaps the best choice. You can start one on Blogger or Wordpress or other platforms for no cost, set it to "private" and let only those you trust have access to it.
Or you can cast caution to the next nor'easter and just go full monty. You know, make it public and see what happens.
I guess it's obvious which choice I made.
***
The headlines:
* Covid-19 Is Likely Here to Stay -- Governments and businesses are starting to accept that the coronavirus isn’t a temporary problem and instead will lead to long-term changes enabling society to co-exist with Covid-19. (WSJ)
* U.K. coronavirus variant spreads rapidly through U.S., study finds (WashPo)
* Pandemic’s Toll on Housing: Falling Behind, Doubling Up -- Eviction moratoriums don’t keep arrears from piling up, and aid to renters may not reach the most vulnerable. (NYT)
* Trump’s election fraud falsehoods have cost taxpayers $519 million — and counting (WashPo)
* Violent Videogames Aren’t Ruining Your Kids—but It’s Good to Discuss Them (WSJ)
* Senior Democrats to unveil $3,000-per-child benefit as Biden stimulus gains steam (WashPo)
* Pushing QAnon and Stolen Election Lies, Flynn Re-emerges -- Recast by President Trump’s most ardent supporters as a MAGA martyr, Michael T. Flynn has embraced his role as the man who spent four years unjustly ensnared in the Russia investigation. (NYT)
* Returning students may find themselves in a classroom without a teacher (WashPo)
* Rough Landing Expected for the Glut of New Small-Rocket Makers (WSJ)
* Himalayan glacier breaks in India, around 125 missing in floods
(Reuters)
* Migrant Families Force Biden to Confront New Border Crisis -- In recent days, hundreds of migrant families have been released into the United States by Border Patrol agents. Thousands more are hoping for a chance to enter under looser policies. (NYT)
* "My favorite online Scrabble opponent had a secret: He was a robot" (WashPo)
* California Launches a $100 Million Fund to Support Black-Led Organizations (WSJ)
* Counsel and Cabinet member for two Republican presidents dies at 100 -- George P. Shultz | 1920–2021 (WashPo)
* Pope Francis appoints more women to Vatican posts (Reuters)
* GOP Rep. Liz Cheney says Trump ‘does not have a role as a leader of our party going forward’ (WashPo)
* Next stop Mars: 3 spacecraft arriving in quick succession (AP)
* Biden Wants Harris to Have a Major Role. What It Is Hasn’t Been Defined. -- President Biden is rarely seen without Kamala Harris, a tangible result of his efforts to treat her as an equal stakeholder. But for now he does not intend to assign her a specific portfolio. (NYT)
* SNL avoids politics in its cold open, going after the Super Bowl instead (WashPo)
* Big challenge: Biden is pressed to end federal death penalty
* Housing Parents in a Pandemic: How About the Backyard? -- Wanting to keep older relatives safe and close, families are taking a harder look at the structures known as accessory dwelling units. (NYT)
* California Utilities to Spend Billions to Cut Wildfire Risk (AP)
* Tampa Bay beat Kansas City 31-9 to win the Super Bowl. (CBS)
* Pundits Warn Removing Marjorie Taylor Greene From Committee Assignments Could Leave Her With Free Time (The Onion)
***
In every possible way
And oh, my dreams
It's never quite as it seems
(Never quite as it seems)
But now I'm feeling it even more
Because it came from you
Then I open up and see
The person falling here is me
A different way to be
C'mon
Impossible to ignore
(And they'll come true)
And they'll come true
Impossible not to do
Impossible not to do
You have my heart, so don't hurt me
You're what I couldn't find
A totally amazing mind
So understanding and so kind
You're everything to me
Sing it for me!
1, 2, 3, 4
In every possible way
(I said, oh, I said oh)
And oh, my dreams
It's never quite as it seems
'Cause you're a dream to me
Dream to me
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