What is journalistic truth and how does it differ from reality or absolute truth? For starters, each person has a unique reality. “Truth is pragmatic. We all perceive truth differently. [… ]Truth, then, is not a fantasy or an illusion. It is a pragmatic construction and a reflection of our common experience in the world” (Scheuer 63-64). Along that same thought process, an absolute truth for one individual may differ for another. Two people can look at a glass of lemonade. One will see it as half full; the other, half empty. The only fact that can be drawn from that is there is a glass of lemonade. Journalistic truth is tying every angle into a story, presenting it to the readers objectively, and allowing them to walk away with their own conclusions of what is true. In our textbook, truth was described as a “journey towards understanding” (Scheuer 64). I love that definition because facts, stories, and understanding change over time. New details can enhance our understanding or completely alter our view. Nothing is really set in stone; it’s developing, changing, and growing.
For me personally, truth or the quest for truth is liberating. Having truth and freedom can affect a person’s heart, even the world. Fighting for what one knows to be true has caused more than just revolutions of the soul, it has changed the course of history. Truth can bring comfort and happiness. I’m not talking about the traditional comfort and happiness, because truth can be painful as well. But truth can provide the strength for change as well as the strength for acceptance.
Truth is blind in the sense that the universal truths of things like human emotions apply to every color, nationality, and people. It is important every person have access to the truth. Journalism plays an important role in democracy. At the same time, the people of the democracy have a duty to be as informed as possible so when it comes time to make monumental decisions, they can make the best decision possible for their own good and the good of the public.
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