Media far from Mean in #MeToo movement
Photo by Mihai Surdu on Unsplash By Deron Snyder Regarding the age-old question – “Is man basically good or evil?” – Aristotle left no doubt where he stood. He contended that moral excellence is not man’s natural state, and it is achieved only through determined and repeated effort. That sustained endeavor helps man distinguish what is morally correct and leads him to lean in that direction. Aristotle’s “Golden Mean” resides between the extremes of good and evil. This middle is particularly relevant to journalism in three areas of ethics and credibility: unsubstantiated saturation coverage, gratuitous shock value, and stereotypical characterizations (Dickson, 1988) . The media’s tendency to overindulge in these areas represents a moral failing, whereas exhibiting restraint would allow the industry to find the mean. The principle in reference to journalism is more relevant than ever, as the 24-hour news cycle and the proliferation of digital news continue to move faster.