I don’t read the newspaper everyday, there just isn’t time. You don’t pick up a paper with the intention of reading one article, as you would over on Twitter or Medium (speaking of which, I recently wrote a post explaining what the blockchain-powered tokenization of assets means). A newspaper is meant to give you an up-to-date look at what’s going on in the world, or country, or city, with observations on the markets, business stories, notes on social and civic activity, and opinions. Hopefully you walk away feeling educated and inspired.
This is how I always feel after I read The New York Times on Sunday, which is why I love the paper so much. I specify the Sunday paper because this is the only daily edition I read in its entirety. Less the sports section – but there’s no honor in reading something that doesn’t serve, so there are articles I skim and then pass over for the next. (This has also been a revelation when it comes to books that I feel like I should finish, but just aren’t resonating with me and then sit on the bookshelf giving me shade. So here’s permission to put it down: it’s okay to not finish a book that just isn’t doing anything for you.) I also specify the Sunday paper because there are additional sections included that are very human-focused, not politically focused. You get stories of human growth, curiosity, depression, joy, wonder, inclusivity, and discovery. Stories of love and style, and human connection.
And while it does get political (on Sunday or any other day), just because a paper questions or condemns a president’s actions does not make it politically biased. It is the media’s job to be critical of the moves politicians make, and nobody deserves a bigger microscope than the president, regardless of what color his tie is / where his affiliations lie.
The Times calls New York City home, a historically blue city belonging to a blue state and it’s interesting how many powerful and wealthy republicans and democrats call it home. I wonder why that is? Is it because humans want to live in a city that promotes beautiful artistry, boasts support for culture, celebrates education, and brings together an incredibly interesting smattering of people? I think yes. Would these things exist if it weren’t for New York City’s inclusive nature? And what supports that infamous inclusivity? Open minds. Acceptance. An appreciation for all kinds of humans.
Let’s consider that these are the values that make New York so great, and that these are the values by which the New York Times covers what is happening in our world. If someone appears to be violating those values, it is their job to report on it, expose it, and help to maintain the progressive order that has allowed society to evolve and flourish as it has. I think that that has less to do with political bias and more to do with human dignity.
Nobody and no paper are perfect. There are some liberal writers and opinion-editorialists whose opinions are clearly emotion driven and come off as a little too high on their horse. This can bother me because these kinds of stances too easily write off the other side and brand them as a faction of, for lack of better words, evil. Not always noted though, is that The New York Times also publishes work by right-leaning journalists. Just last Sunday the paper published a piece entitled: Liberals, You’re Not as Smart as You Think. The author pointed out that liberals need to chill on the “holier than thou” rhetoric. Fair point.
The Times is home to a full spectrum of ideas and affiliations, a quality I enormously respect. People are allowed to their opinions, and we should be exposed to as many as possible. Just because a media outlet publishes something you don’t agree with does not make them bias, nor does it mean its readers are biased. Assumptions makes an ass out of all of us.
Show me a better paper that covers the enormity of human life?
