Interesting People mailing list archives
Re From a nyt and long time iper Re New York Times defends hiring extreme climate denier: 'millions agree with him'
From: "Dave Farber" <farber () gmail com>
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2017 11:09:28 -0400
Begin forwarded message:
From: Dave Crocker <dcrocker () gmail com> Date: April 23, 2017 at 10:56:24 AM EDT To: dave () farber net, ip <ip () listbox com> Cc: "Schwartz, John" <jswatz () nytimes com> Subject: Re: [IP] From a nyt and long time iper Re New York Times defends hiring extreme climate denier: 'millions agree with him'*From:* "Schwartz, John" <jswatz () nytimes com <mailto:jswatz () nytimes com>>...However you feel about the hiring of Bret Stephens, it's important to keep in mind that he has been hired as a single voice among the opinion columnists at the NYT.Notwithstanding the rest of Schwatz' note or the fact of tclimate /reporting/ done by the Time... Taken on its own, this line of argumentation says that the Times has no responsibility for asserting and enforcing any criteria for /quality/. It essentially pushes for diversity over quality, which is exactly what the "well, he's popular and we have lots of readers who share his views" demonstrates. That there are many other -- potentially equally spurious -- voices does not lessen the problem with this one. A journal of record has to have meaningful editorial criteria. Choosing popularity over quality criteria would seem to move the Times out of the category of "All the news that is fit to print" to "whatever". The fact that the new hire is for the Opinions sections does not relieve the Times from worrying about substance and quality.From: Dave Burstein <daveb () dslprime com <mailto:daveb () dslprime com>>...Climate change deniers, of course, have very little data on their side. The same is true of any religion, including my own. I don't think the New York Times should automatically exclude someone because he believes in a scientifically unprovable religion, whether Judaism or Wahabi Islam.This is an interesting perspective. It suggests that we should see climate denial as a form of religion. And hence the fact that this religion has many followers justifies giving it valuable newspaper real-estate, the same as other religions. Separate from any philosophical or moral problems there might be with such a perspective -- not to mention the objective problem that it is touted as a counter to science, not as a form of religion -- is the unfortunate fact that climate denial actively endangers others. And not just a few others. Basically everyone. On the planet. There is also the uncomfortable problem that allocating column-inches based on Burstein's proffered logic will lead to claims that there should also be space given to spokes-folk who tout for Al-qaedao or ISIS. After all, they, too have many who share their views... d/ -- Dave Crocker Brandenburg InternetWorking bbiw.net -- Dave Crocker Brandenburg InternetWorking bbiw.net
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- Re From a nyt and long time iper Re New York Times defends hiring extreme climate denier: 'millions agree with him' Dave Farber (Apr 22)
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- Re From a nyt and long time iper Re New York Times defends hiring extreme climate denier: 'millions agree with him' Dave Farber (Apr 22)
- Re From a nyt and long time iper Re New York Times defends hiring extreme climate denier: 'millions agree with him' Dave Farber (Apr 22)
- Re From a nyt and long time iper Re New York Times defends hiring extreme climate denier: 'millions agree with him' Dave Farber (Apr 23)
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