We’re All Just Making It Up as We Go
Look, I’ve been in this game for 22 years. Started as a cub reporter in Manchester, back when newspapers still smelled like ink and deadlines were actual things you hit. Now? Now it’s all just noise.
I remember this one time, back in ’03, I was covering a council meeting in Salford. Boring as hell, right? But then this guy, let’s call him Marcus, stands up and starts yelling about potholes. Next thing I know, it’s a full-blown riot. I filed my story at 11:30pm, exhausted, thinking I’d finally made it. Ha. That was nothing.
These days? It’s all just chaos. Everyone’s got a platform, everyone’s got an opinion. And honestly, it’s completley overwhelming.
Social Media Is Eating Our Brains
I was at a conference in Austin last year, and this woman, let’s call her Priya, she says to me, “You know, I think social media is the death of journalism.” And I’m like, “Yeah, no kidding.” I mean, look at Twitter. It’s just a never-ending stream of hot takes and outrage. And Facebook? Don’t even get me started.
I had this friend, Dave, right? He’s a journalist too. We were having coffee at this place on 5th, and he’s telling me about how he got in trouble for posting something on Facebook. His editor said it was “not in line with the publication’s values.” I asked him what he posted. He said, “I just said I thought the new Star Wars movie was overrated.” And I’m like, “Dave, that’s not even news.” But that’s the thing, right? Everything’s news now. Even your dumb opinion about a movie.
And don’t even get me started on the algorithms. They’re designed to keep us hooked, to keep us angry. It’s like they’re saying, “Hey, look at this crazy thing! Be outraged! Click here!” And we do. We can’t help ourselves.
But Here’s the Thing…
I’m not saying all news is bad. There are still good journalists out there. People who actually care about getting the story right. But they’re drowning in a sea of garbage. And honestly, it’s getting harder and harder to tell the difference.
I was talking to this source the other day, let’s call him Liam. He’s a politician, but a decent one, you know? And he’s telling me about how hard it is to get his message across. “I’ll say something completely reasonable,” he says, “and by the time it gets to the public, it’s been twisted into something completely different.” And I get that. I really do.
But here’s the thing: it’s not just the politicians. It’s everyone. We’re all just making it up as we go along. And it’s exhausting.
So What Do We Do About It?
I don’t know, honestly. I wish I had some big, grand solution. But I don’t. I’m just one guy, sitting in my office, trying to make sense of it all. And frankly, I’m not doing a very good job.
But maybe, just maybe, we can start by being a little more honest with ourselves. About what we know, and what we don’t. About the fact that we’re all just human, and we all make mistakes. And maybe, just maybe, that’s enough.
And look, I’m not saying we should all just give up and become real estate agents (though if you’re interested in that, you can check out some real estate agent tips choosing your next home). But maybe we can take a step back, breathe, and remember that not everything is a crisis.
Because honestly, if we don’t, we’re all gonna drive ourselves crazy. And I, for one, am not ready to go down that rabbit hole.
About the Author: Sarah “Salty” Jenkins has been a journalist for 22 years. She’s worked for major publications, covered everything from politics to potholes, and has a deep love for strong coffee and sarcasm. She currently lives in Manchester with her cat, Mr. Whiskers, who is, in her opinion, the true star of this bio.