I loved this! I feel into this exact pattern late last year after a small mental health wobble. Doing the actual reporting was easy, but doing anything with it was impossible. TY for sharing!
Oh I'm so pleased it resonated - thanks for telling me. And yes, finding that space to actually sit down and think can be so tough can't it? Hope you're through it now!
You quote Joan Didion on difference between writing fiction and non fiction but the quotation only refers to nonfiction?
Referring to a previous piece of yours on the meltdown in jobs in journalism - the quality of news reporting has become poorer while standout reportage is exactly that-outstanding. If the one longform piece I have read of yours is anything to go by, you are a rarity . The piece I read was about the kindness and brilliance of Stuart Potts to homeless strangers which also hints at some painful experiences for his own children, yet comes over as an entirely fully thought-through, non-judgmental piece that covers all bases. I am entirely critical of ownership in the British and American media and its toxic influence on our politics. Murdoch and Harmsworth for example, with the help of the Tory Party since Thatcher, in fact, has almost destroyed Britain yet Labour politicians feel forced to pay homage to gain power. For what end? For Murdoch and others to continue to destroy Britain? I expect so. But unless you are prepared to only to be involved with the likes of DDN or Byline Times, which would not pay the rent at all, you can't write about the tragedy that has overtaken good journalism (and there was good journalism and not just at the BBC. By the way, I agree, Norma Percy's documentaries are outstanding and she is an influence on me.) People have to much to read and too much to write themselves on unpaid social media and all that streaming with which to escape. Meanwhile, journalists themselves are asking is journalism the only form that can change things and have enormous impact? Look at ITVs drama Mr Bates Vs the Post Office. If drama can do that , which journalism informed, but which journalism over 15 years could not and did not do on its own, is this a revolutionary way of bringing information to people or will it only work occasionally when certain specific factors and portents come together? I read a lot and can't keep up with all the scandals, shock horrors. Similarly, I can't keep on top of all the Substacks, podcasts and niche outlets that do exist and that if I had all the time in the world I would read. So much passes me by. Politically, redundancies at Open Democracy , the limitations of the LRB and such informed left leaning outlets, will not be able to defend against the onslaught of populism and its discontents. Ignorance proliferates out there and conspiracy is the comfort blanket of the fearful. The moment Trump wins and gets on X/Twitter is when I will abandon it.
I loved this! I feel into this exact pattern late last year after a small mental health wobble. Doing the actual reporting was easy, but doing anything with it was impossible. TY for sharing!
Oh I'm so pleased it resonated - thanks for telling me. And yes, finding that space to actually sit down and think can be so tough can't it? Hope you're through it now!
You quote Joan Didion on difference between writing fiction and non fiction but the quotation only refers to nonfiction?
Referring to a previous piece of yours on the meltdown in jobs in journalism - the quality of news reporting has become poorer while standout reportage is exactly that-outstanding. If the one longform piece I have read of yours is anything to go by, you are a rarity . The piece I read was about the kindness and brilliance of Stuart Potts to homeless strangers which also hints at some painful experiences for his own children, yet comes over as an entirely fully thought-through, non-judgmental piece that covers all bases. I am entirely critical of ownership in the British and American media and its toxic influence on our politics. Murdoch and Harmsworth for example, with the help of the Tory Party since Thatcher, in fact, has almost destroyed Britain yet Labour politicians feel forced to pay homage to gain power. For what end? For Murdoch and others to continue to destroy Britain? I expect so. But unless you are prepared to only to be involved with the likes of DDN or Byline Times, which would not pay the rent at all, you can't write about the tragedy that has overtaken good journalism (and there was good journalism and not just at the BBC. By the way, I agree, Norma Percy's documentaries are outstanding and she is an influence on me.) People have to much to read and too much to write themselves on unpaid social media and all that streaming with which to escape. Meanwhile, journalists themselves are asking is journalism the only form that can change things and have enormous impact? Look at ITVs drama Mr Bates Vs the Post Office. If drama can do that , which journalism informed, but which journalism over 15 years could not and did not do on its own, is this a revolutionary way of bringing information to people or will it only work occasionally when certain specific factors and portents come together? I read a lot and can't keep up with all the scandals, shock horrors. Similarly, I can't keep on top of all the Substacks, podcasts and niche outlets that do exist and that if I had all the time in the world I would read. So much passes me by. Politically, redundancies at Open Democracy , the limitations of the LRB and such informed left leaning outlets, will not be able to defend against the onslaught of populism and its discontents. Ignorance proliferates out there and conspiracy is the comfort blanket of the fearful. The moment Trump wins and gets on X/Twitter is when I will abandon it.