DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JOURNALISM AND ACTIVISM

“I'm one of those who takes the dharma of being a journalist seriously, believing that the vocation brings with it certain responsibilities? But I don't think activism is one of them. The practical argument for that is that if all journalists took up activism for the causes they believed in, the good ones would eventually have no time left to actually write. More importantly, I believe that the function journalists ideally perform, of providing information and insight, is too important to be diluted by anything.”

AMIT VERMA

Journalist isn't a title. Journalist is an earned accolade, earned after the fact and earned afresh every day. The facts journalists select, the words they choose, and the narrative they compose -- to be as fair a representation of circumstances as if the reader had served in the journalist's place. That is important because news is used for decision-making. News modifies the reader's mental atlas of reality. People don't keep reality in their head, just a draft of it.

The current state of journalism is an utter catastrophe. Journalists regularly print lies without disclaiming them, and avoid stating and providing the most basic context that would enable basic understanding of the situations that are reported on.

An activist is someone who takes action in support of or opposition to a cause or reacts to whatever the state is bringing down on people. They analyse the issues in their own perspective, and then give their opinion about what they think really is. They are usually folks who jump from issue to issue - depending on what's hot at the moment. Being involved in an issue makes them feel good about themselves and the label activist usually comes from a person with privilege. So even though a lot of us still get caught up in “activism.” I think it is something we have to break from until one ensures positivity on the following points:

1. Commitment: It Separates Doers from Dreamers
2. Communication: Without It You Travel Alone
3. Courage: One Person with Courage Is a Majority
4. Initiative: You Won't Leave Home Without It.
5. Creativity: Think Outside the Box.
6. Passion: The Stronger Your Fire, The Greater Your Potential
7. Positive Attitude: If You Believe You Can, You Can
8. Problem Solving: You can't let Problems Trouble You
9.Vision: You Can Seize Only What You Can See

Regards,
Roshni Zahid