Commentary is stupid

Not to make this personal, but why should I care what you think?

Much has been made over the end of objectivity as a journalistic aim. Well, I'd like to propose the end of subjectivity.

People are proud to open the newspaper to the editorial pages, proud to have their views of current events dictated by satire.

While reasoned debate is important -- certainly it is integral to the maintenance of a free press, and by extension, the capacity of individuals to think for themselves (though not necessarily their capacity to exist in a liberal democracy!) -- it cannot exist on its own.

As recent events have shown, commentary is like oxygen to the fire of debate: dangerous, yet easily controlled by an awareness of the situation.

The spirit of commentary in newspapers, then, is to capture this reasoned debate.

But the intentional selection of facts and effects -- as so often comprises the formation and, thus, expression of opinion -- appears to me to be nothing more than academic masturbation.

Regardless of endeavours to get both sides, any knowledge gained through the study of subjective material is inherently flawed. Ask any scientist how much to rely on even the most objective of data, though the error of the error is calculated, and great pains are avoided to move from theory into numbers before absolutely necessary. Or, just ask what they think of social scientists.

After all, just because one is saying something doesn't mean it's in any way intelligent. More likely, it stems from some pigheaded and entrenched opinion one has.

Like this ridiculous obsession with "liberal democracy." Liberal? Because it gives me the freedom to express my watered-down take on this or that world event? Thanks.

Democracy? Don't even get me started. People have crushes on democracy like it is some sort of celebrity they'd like to sleep with. Well, it's not. It's the ultimate in unreliablity, it's a comedy of errors, it's bizarre at best and has an intent that contradicts most peoples' estimation of it, at worst.

So, in other words, I have the freedom to say that you, commentator, you, reader, you are stupid. Which I hereby exercise.

I have no interest in hearing someone else's side of the story, for these reasons.