Definitions HQ

Objectivity (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠what a young journalist is told he lacks when he chases stories his editors know are not to be chased — and he ends up at the police desk.

Objectivity (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠carry doctrine without one false word: the quotes are accurate, the descriptions true, and the propaganda lies entirely in what is chosen and who is asked.

Objectivity (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠mean, in liberal history, filing the workers' anger under "the complexity of modern society" when they had simply been cheated; what needs explaining is the historian, not the workers.

Objectivity (n.) stays ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a delusion in scholarship so long as the inarticulate impulses of ordinary people remain beyond its grasp.

Objectivity (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠real within the filters: journalists of complete integrity choose the news fairly, because the constraints are built in so deep that any other basis for choosing is hardly imaginable.

Objectivity (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be excessive, by a sponsor's measure: an environmental documentary series died for want of backers because it hinted at corporate failure, when the corporate message was reassurance.

Objectivity (n.) comes ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠cheapest by quoting officials: their word can be presented as presumptively accurate and protects against libel, while a dissenting source demands careful, costly checking.

Objectivity (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠launder a murder: quote the survivors briefly, balance them with the generals' denials, skip the condition of the bodies, and the killing becomes regrettable natural background.

Objectivity (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠mean correctly reporting what the government says, raising no question about it, giving no background, and filing the other side's accurate account as mere allegation.

Objectivity (n.) posing ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠as neutrality is misleading at best and often a fraud; honesty means showing your ax before you start grinding it.

Objectivity (n.) as ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the press practices it means getting the inside-the-beltway story right and never wandering beyond it.