Saturday's discussion on diversity and differing opinions was one of the most powerful discussions that I have been a part of. Although I was supposed to be photographing the talk, I found myself setting down the camera, afraid that if I got lost in that world, I would miss out on what was unfolding in front of me.
Stories of blatant racism and less overt forms of discrimination were shared. It definitely made me question my own views, how I perceive others, and what steps I take to ensure, in journalistic matters, that I have the whole story. Each case seemed, initially, so black and white (no pun intended). However, upon further examination, our perceptions were often fueled not by the reality of the situation, but by our own perceptions and past experiences.
Participating in the discussion definitely made me more aware to my own biases, the possible biases of others, and how life experiences can cloud our own reality, no matter how certain we are. As journalists, we have to maintain a level of objectivity and allow someone the benefit of the doubt to explain himself before attempting to label him as a certain type of person or as having a certain viewpoint.
Stories of blatant racism and less overt forms of discrimination were shared. It definitely made me question my own views, how I perceive others, and what steps I take to ensure, in journalistic matters, that I have the whole story. Each case seemed, initially, so black and white (no pun intended). However, upon further examination, our perceptions were often fueled not by the reality of the situation, but by our own perceptions and past experiences.
Participating in the discussion definitely made me more aware to my own biases, the possible biases of others, and how life experiences can cloud our own reality, no matter how certain we are. As journalists, we have to maintain a level of objectivity and allow someone the benefit of the doubt to explain himself before attempting to label him as a certain type of person or as having a certain viewpoint.
-- Daniel Sato, San Jose State University, St. Cloud (Minn.) Times
No comments:
Post a Comment