Monday, November 29, 2010

Shame and Embarrassment

Max Boot on Wikileaks:
OK, that’s not quite fair. There are some genuine revelations in all these documents. I, for one, didn’t realize that Libya’s head kook, Muammar Qaddafi, spends a lot of his time with a “voluptuous blonde” nurse from Ukraine or that he uses Botox. Of course, just because information is new doesn’t make it consequential, and this type of information is of interest primarily to editors and readers of Gawker, the gossip site (where I ran across it).

There was a time when editors and reporters thought of themselves as citizens first and journalists second. There were damaging leaks even during World War II, but when they occurred they were generally denounced by the rest of the press. We now seem to have reached a moment when the West’s major news organizations, working hand in glove with a sleazy website, feel free to throw spitballs at those who make policy and those who execute it. This is journalism as pure vandalism. If I were responsible, I would feel shame and embarrassment. But apparently, those healthy emotions are in short supply these days.



[Note that I beat Tintin to this item. The timestamp on his shows he won't even think of it until this evening.]

8 comments:

NutellaonToast said...

Sure. Mistakes were made. Countries were invaded for no reason. Civilians were killed.

Look, the important thing here, the only thing left to do, is to glean what lessons we can from this tragedy. Clearly, this shows us the real danger in carelessly criticizing the American military in any way. That way lies madness.

J— said...

Muammar Qaddafi, spends a lot of his time with a “voluptuous blonde” nurse from Ukraine or that he uses Botox

For those of us in the burgeoning field of Gaddafi Studies, this information was quite welcome.

Dragon-King Wangchuck said...

Nuh-uh, only ebil leftsies are traitors and villains. Conservatives are citizen-journalists standing up for the peoples (who happen to be wealthy and white).

Note:...of interest primarily to editors and readers of Gawker, the gossip site (where I ran across it).
Okay, Gawker-reader Max. Mister clicky refreshy on teh gossip-site all driving up their pageviews and whatnot.
This is journalism as pure vandalism. If I were responsible, I would feel shame and embarrassment.
But you are responsible - by your own admission. Or is it the faults of the rest of Gawker's audience? Oh right, only ebil lefturds go to Gawker for snark and tabloid "voluptuous blonde nurses". Max Boot is only doin' it because SHUT UP THAT'S WHY.

Dragon-King Wangchuck said...

Dear Penthouse Forum,

Your filthy publication crosses the line of decency so often that I have lost count. Non-missionary position sex? Adultery? Oral sex? Lesbians!? It is an affront to decent peoples everywhere.

It is shocking that you would dare to publish such immoral filth. How do you sleep at night knowing that you are responsible for destroying civlization as we know it? I will only be renewing my subscription with extreme ire and trepidation. Additionally, your glossy magazine with all of the pictures? I'll need a second subscription as I'm having difficulties unsticking some of the pages.

Sincerely,
Max Boot.

J— said...

Note that…

Two pictures are worth a thousand shorters.

Hamish Mack said...

I would feel shame and embarrassment. But apparently, those healthy emotions are in short supply these days
Nanny Whip told Max that they were healthy emotions.

Big Bad Bald Bastard said...

Muammar Qaddafi, spends a lot of his time with a “voluptuous blonde” nurse from Ukraine or that he uses Botox

Personally, I was always hoping for a
Qaddafi girl swimsuit calendar

M. Bouffant said...

Amused to note in the picture Tintin posted that Booter's hair has followed his brain in leaving his head.

'Cause it's ashamed of him.

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