Playing the dangerous Blame Game
It’s time to get real people, stop whining and blaming others and take responsibility for ones actions and choices. Increasingly enough the blame game has reached some epidemic proportions and amazingly, no one admits to screwing up. It can be argued that the pressures from peers and society and above all ones own expectations of success has clouded ones perception of taking responsibility for ones actions because it is easier to blame others rather than accepting responsibility. For example, the film Shattered Glass which exposes the 1993 New Republic incident involving the young journalist, Stephen Glass, where he willingly and knowingly wrote several fictitious articles and published them. It is easy to assign the whole blame to Stephen Glass, but who really is to blame? Is it Stephen because he wrote the articles? Or is it the fault of the editors of the publications for not thoroughly checking all the facts in the articles? One could easily contend that yes it is their fault, because it is the responsibility of the magazine staff to report the truth to its public. If the fact checker of the editorial staff would have done their job and made sure that all the facts were meticulously checked, these false accounts would not have been published. On the other hand, it can be argued that as the reader of such publications one should question the validity of what is being presented as truth. But it is logical to assume the role of the victim and blame the author for presenting such stories as truth rather than accepting the blame for believing them. And whether this action is done unconsciously or deliberately to save face, the truth is that is simpler to blame some one else rather than to admit that one has been fooled. On the surface, it appears that one is the true victim of such actions, when in reality we are as much to blame as the author and the magazine company.
That said when incidents such as this present themselves what should be the appropriate action. Should the individual in question be reprimanded in such a manner that clearly demonstrates that this type of behavior will not be tolerated? Should an immediate dismissal be called for? Or should the individual be given a suspension from the staff so that he is made aware that his actions were inappropriate. If one is stupid enough to try to make fiction a universally accepted truth, by fooling the ”INNOCENT” public, then one should be expected to be immediately dismissed from their position if one decides to try this venue. Knowing that the public readily accepts ones words as truths, as an author one must hold oneself up to much higher code of ethics.
Although, the publication on the surface should assume responsibility for the mistakes and print a letter of apology publicly admitting to screwing up, there is not much else that they can do. The image of the publication has been tarnished indefinitely in hopes that this incident is easily forgotten by the public.
Still what would posses a young journalist to do something so deceitful? What would be the motive? In so many ways, one can argue that one is encouraged to act strong and perfect. Because a person who admits to making mistakes and even accepting the blame for such mistakes is seen as inferior and weaker than the rest. However, it is unfair to claim that this peer pressure to become the best would be the sole reason for deceiving the public and publish fictional articles. In Stephen Glass’s cases aside from proving that he is a good journalist, there exists a more profound psychological problem. Glass’s need for acceptance stems from the authorative and controlling relationship with his parents. Unconsciously he hungers for the acceptance from his parents and in order to prove to them that he is worthy journalist rather than the lawyer they are imposing him to become, he forces himself to write imaginative and fictional articles. Alternatively, one can also contend that this behavior manifested itself as a reaction to rebel against his parents, and in an internalized level against his boss, who assumes the same type of power of him as his parents in the familial relationship.
Unfortunately, Stephen Glass may not be the only journalist who has fallen and will fall from grace. As the journalistic industry becomes more competitive, there will be other Stephen Glasses who will fall into temptation and set aside, consciously or unconsciously, the code of journalistic ethics in order to have eminent success in their career. The film Shattered Glass, which narrators the demise of Stephen Glass, is only one film that realistically portrays the high expectations and stress of today’s journalism environment. Nevertheless, just because ones career happens to be competitive where one is required to shine above the rest, it does not provide an excuse nor allow one to project the blame of ones errors onto others. And even though sometimes the line between blame and responsibility happens to become blurred lets stop pointing fingers and clearly and loudly admit that we can take responsibility for ones actions.
posted by Luna @ 10:53 PM
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