On being objective

Lester Markel was the autonomous czar who ran the New York Times's Sunday sections for some 40 years, from 1924 to 1964.

He wrote:

The reporter, the most objective reporter, collects fifty facts. Out of the fifty facts he selects twelve to include in his story. Thus he discards thirty-eight. This is Judgment Number One.

Then the reporter or editor decides which of the facts shall be the first paragraph of the story, thus emphasizing one fact above the other eleven. This is Judgment Number Two.

Then the editor decides whether the story shall be placed on Page One or Page Twelve; on Page One it will command many times the attention it would on Page Twelve. This is Judgment Number Three.

This so-called factual presentation is thus subjected to three judgments, all of them most humanly and most ungodly made.

To all who believe that they are "objective" I say, you are fooling yourself.

Moreover, in your attempts to eliminate emotion and subjectivity from your decisions, you are apt to wreak havoc both upon yourself and those who suffer the consequences of your so-called good judgment.

Be human and be real.

You'll be far better off in the end.

[via Daniel Okrent and the New York Times]