“Symmetry of sin”
September 17th, 2008Ruth Marcus nails the risks of reporters trying to inject fairness and balance into their stories…
Economists are not generally known for their lyrical phrasing. But the other day, one told me something about the election that has stuck with me: He cautioned against succumbing to the “symmetry of sin.”
This unexpected snippet of political poetry, from a Democrat advising Barack Obama, was prompted by my expressed desire to hold both campaigns accountable for their lapses from good policy and honest argument. At which point my eloquent economist invoked the lure of false symmetry.
He was peddling a self-interested, but important, point: All campaigns fall short, but some fall far shorter than others. And it is a phony evenhandedness, comfortable for journalists but ultimately misleading, that equates these failures without measuring the grossness of their deviation from the standard of decency.
As I see it, the standard of journalism isn’t fairness or balance. It’s truth. Truth is an honest depiction of reality and reality is – as everyone knows – not fair nor balanced. Any attempt to be neutral to the truth is to be ultimately dishonest.
Good for Ruth Marcus for making the case and the timely reminder.
– Steve
Stumble it!
