 A Christian option for the postmodern Press By Marvin Olasky © 2001 United Press International Wednesday, January 31, 2001 This is the eighth installment of the UPI series, "Christ and postmodernity."
Henry Luce, founder of Time magazine, said, "Show me a man who thinks he's objective and I'll show you a man who's deceiving himself." Ivy Lee, a journalist who became known as the founder of public relations, said it was "humanly impossible" to state a fact: "All I can do is to give you my interpretation of the facts." Thesis vs. antithesis The Luce and Lee statements were part of the journalistic revolution that came early in the 1920s and 1930s as reporters influenced by Marxism and Freudianism redefined "objectivity." Marx had argued that much of what was called objectivity actually was class subjectivity, with one class-bound vision of the world against another – thesis vs. antithesis. Freud contended that much of what affected individuals was unknown, even to the individuals themselves, so it could not be assumed that judgments were unimpaired. 'Define first, then see' Walter Lippmann, probably the most influential American newspaper columnist of the 20th century, was a Marxist in his early years and an admirer of Freudian thought. He used those ideas to become in the 1920s a philosopher of journalism as well. Lippmann was sarcastic about reporters' claims to objectivity, arguing that "for the most part we do not see first, then define; we define first and then see." Lippmann viewed the typical reporter as akin to the traveler who liked trains and did not think it proper to give porters tips: "His Odyssey will be replete with … train escapades and voracious demands for money." The three L's – Lippmann, Luce, and Lee – had departed from the pre-modern American and European belief that truth was out there and journalists should seek it, generally with wisdom gained from reading the Bible. They were pioneers in going beyond the modernist belief that whatever truth there was should be sought through man's purported wisdom. Pointing to postmodernism Their assertion that there is no such thing as objective truth pointed to postmodernism. Influenced by the three L's, journalists began to redefine the meaning of "objectivity" so that it came to mean a balancing of subjectivities, a recitation of several subjective views in a way that appeared even-handed. The new objectivity As opposed to a standard dictionary definition of "objective" – "existing independent of mind; emphasizing or expressing the nature of reality as it is apart from subjective experience" -- the outcome of new "objectivity" might be neither truthful nor accurate. For who knew what accuracy, let alone truth, really was? The Society of Professional Journalists concretized this in its code of ethics, proclaiming, "Truth is our ultimate goal," but "Objectivity in reporting the news is another goal, which serves as the hallmark of an experienced professional." Since objective truth did not exist, objectivity and truth were in two separate compartments: Quote person "x" and person "y", and you've done your job. By the 1980s, however, journalists such as Linda Ellerbee were declaring bluntly that "there is no such thing as objectivity. Any reporter who tells you he's objective is lying to you." Journalistic postmodernism Full-fledged journalistic postmodernism – the belief that each reporter is a god unto himself, obliged not to report, but to create his own reality – has developed least rapidly on local newspapers. A local reporter trying to create his own reality runs into opposition when the story concerns something about which the reader has personal experience. A sports reporter, for example, cannot stray too far when describing a game witnessed by thousands or millions. Journalistic postmodernism has developed the furthest among feature writers with a descriptive flair, or among those reporting from foreign climes that few of their readers comprehend. New Yorker writer Janet Malcolm fondly has admitted her readiness to treat real-life individuals essentially as fictional characters, ready to be depicted in a way that makes for drama, regardless of reality. Postmodernism gives journalists not only the freedom to construct whatever they choose but also a rationale for deconstruction. Knowledge, morality and law are all social constructs, as are the truth claims that form the base of many of our institutions. Journalists used to voice concern about increasing public cynicism in some areas, but now, since all establishments are seen to exist behind a façade of rationality, reporters have a responsibility to expose what is behind the façade. The thoroughly postmodern journalist has one response to virtually everything: "Bah, humbug." Find the truth and stick with it There is an alternative. Even though much is false, find out what is true and stick with it. Gain journalistic freedom from cynicism by regaining a Christian understanding of the nature of man, the nature of God and the nature of man's tasks and hopes. That Biblical way is not based on confidence in man – people do naturally distort and lie – but confidence in the objectivity of God. Just as a person assessing the strengths and weaknesses of his house is wise to consult the builder, so a person who wants to describe accurately the world God created should get information from its builder. The Biblical way is based on man's ability, with God's grace, to study the Bible – God's objectivity – and apply it to everyday situations. Walter Cronkite once said he was a liberal, which he defined as one "not bound by doctrines or committed to a point of view in advance." But the Biblical hope of arriving at accurate views is not to wipe our minds clean because then we are at the mercy of our limited vision. Instead, we should fill up our minds with God's vision. Biblical objectivity is the God's-eye view of things. Human beings cannot attain it but, in many realms, the Bible is clear and we can come close enough to God's objectivity so that we know what is right to do and what is wrong. "Right" and "wrong" are not postmodern terms, but they will be around long after postmodernity has given way to an understanding that will be new because it is so old. Marvin Olasky, a senior fellow of the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty, coined the phrase "compassionate conservatism" for President George W. Bush's political philosophy. He teaches journalism at the University of Texas at Austin and is the editor of World, a Biblically-oriented newsweekly. |
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