Sunday, August 20, 2023

Surprises

 A recent conversation in the Comments section beneath these essays reminded me of a factor in some of my greatest breakthroughs as a journalist. This will take a minute to explain so please bear with me.

It was when I got surprised.

Journalists — like scientists, prosecutors, historians and most everyone conducting any kind of sincere inquiry — operate on the basis of a hypothesis. We construct it based on whatever bits of information we’ve gathered to date, and it helps guide us in our work.

Normally, if your assumptions are sound, the more data you gather gradually confirms your hypothesis. But sometimes you get surprised. Someone or something upends your theory and you are forced to reconsider.

Although this may throw a wrench into your plans to publish and therefore upset your colleagues, such surprises are gifts.

Because they help you avoid making mistakes, which is a big part of what honest journalism is about.

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