On March 28, Washington Post journalist Felicia Sonmez posted a Twitter thread describing the intense trauma she said she’d endured over the past year. An editorial policy imposed by the paper’s management had greatly exacerbated this trauma, she alleged, causing her to burst into tears during a recent therapy session and frequently lapse into spells of “vacant staring.” Sonmez, a Harvard graduate in her 30s who holds one of the most prestigious journalism jobs in the country, spoke of being “silenced” by her editors, which in turn kicked her “trauma response” into overdrive and worsened her condition further. She declared that the new crop of young journalists now beginning at the
Great read. Always insightful and entertaining! I do think that at some point, the 'real world' will tune out these public spectacles of self-blathering idiocy. That day can't come soon enough.
Looking into the future, Lord only knows how any of these 'professional adult journalists' (your term, not mine!) will ever be able to manage anybody, let alone a 'diverse' news room. To a person, they will be absolutely insufferable 'bosses'.....
Thank you ! Same "journalists" have been completely silent for years on the persecution and torture of the publisher of the century and leading free speech advocate who deserves Nobel Peace Prize, Julian Assange.....
Michael, did you come up with"therapeutic trauma jargon?" It's brilliant. I don't use social media myself, but I hope some of your subscribers can make #TherapeuticTraumaJargon a trending hashtag.
Too late. These people grew up online because their helicopter parents said it was safer and thought it was easier then letting them out in the world, so now they think it's real.
Instead of censorship the internet needs a rating system like for movies.
- "R" (for regular) rated content would be the default setting but available to adults only. It would include everything except that which is unconstitutional and/or illegal. A court order would be the only way to remove content.
- "G" rated content would exclude porn and depictions of extreme violence and would be for children.
- "W" (for woke) rated content would be for adults only. Its content would be policed by elite journalists and HR personnel. Teams of corporate fact-checkers would exclude most material and all material posted by non-credentialed sources (normal people).
Adult users would select their own rating(s), children would automatically be set to "G".
IDK, I see Sonmez and WaPo differently than the other manipulative journalists; I'd hate for sensitive women to not have a place in journalism. I wouldn't do what she did, but I feel bad for her, which I can't say for most of the other "traumatized". Sonmez isn't stealing victimhood, I believe she's suffered greatly. And WaPo *truly* did (does?) have a problem with their management and this realm. Oh, they're very good when it comes to political opponents, but otherwise....
"Demand the rest of us go along for the very obnoxious ride." Key word: demand. It's all about power, nothing else. "What can I do or say to you that will get you to do what I want or give me what I want?" is the only question.
We've seen a generation of people cowering and crouching and giving up institutions, money and power simply because they're afraid of being called a 'racist'. Why would they stop - as it has only worked.
This is a different flavor of the same thing, and the NY Times has been affected by it, and this 'reporter' is behaving in the way that gets her status. When people stop listening and stop being afraid of this type of thing, and begin mocking and telling 'reporters' like this to STFU, then it will stop.
(Spandrell has a great essay called "Bioleninism" on this status jockeying phenomenon. I recommend it.)
Many are asking themselves just why would "journalists" do what Natasha Bertrand, Jeffrey Goldberg, Judith Miller, David Frum, zillion others that dominate NYT, WaPo, Atlantic, etc. do... Besides the obvious motives -- money and career.
A possible answer is -- "in shared interests" ---- easy to analyze how many among them are "beloved Bibi's" Likudniks, have they ever addressed the Gaza open air concentration camp, terror on Palestinians in apartheid Israel, expressed anything other than hatred for Iran.
The US administrations are sadistic regimes - irrespective if under Obama, Trump, or Biden -- that thrive on the misery of nations. Syria, for example, was once a self-sufficient country -- before America decided (remember 17 years ago !!) that secular socialist Syria needs “democracy and freedom”.
CIA aligned itself “patriotically” with Al Qaeda for regime change -- who, for years, has been weekly bombing Syria -- without hardly being even mentioned in the US corporate media..... But – there is a “genocide”, this time, in China – playing all of us like a violin.
Yes, but hope this too will pass once the pandemic subsides, we all get out in the fresh air and rely less on interacting with our phones. Less chances to be triggered when you’re confronted with more physical realities
Mr. Tracey:
Great read. Always insightful and entertaining! I do think that at some point, the 'real world' will tune out these public spectacles of self-blathering idiocy. That day can't come soon enough.
Looking into the future, Lord only knows how any of these 'professional adult journalists' (your term, not mine!) will ever be able to manage anybody, let alone a 'diverse' news room. To a person, they will be absolutely insufferable 'bosses'.....
Great piece....
Thank you ! Same "journalists" have been completely silent for years on the persecution and torture of the publisher of the century and leading free speech advocate who deserves Nobel Peace Prize, Julian Assange.....
Michael, did you come up with"therapeutic trauma jargon?" It's brilliant. I don't use social media myself, but I hope some of your subscribers can make #TherapeuticTraumaJargon a trending hashtag.
I am traumatized by the corrupt “journalism” of these striving, empire stenographers. Where can I go to demand redress?
Too late. These people grew up online because their helicopter parents said it was safer and thought it was easier then letting them out in the world, so now they think it's real.
You earned a subscription for this piece.
Instead of censorship the internet needs a rating system like for movies.
- "R" (for regular) rated content would be the default setting but available to adults only. It would include everything except that which is unconstitutional and/or illegal. A court order would be the only way to remove content.
- "G" rated content would exclude porn and depictions of extreme violence and would be for children.
- "W" (for woke) rated content would be for adults only. Its content would be policed by elite journalists and HR personnel. Teams of corporate fact-checkers would exclude most material and all material posted by non-credentialed sources (normal people).
Adult users would select their own rating(s), children would automatically be set to "G".
IDK, I see Sonmez and WaPo differently than the other manipulative journalists; I'd hate for sensitive women to not have a place in journalism. I wouldn't do what she did, but I feel bad for her, which I can't say for most of the other "traumatized". Sonmez isn't stealing victimhood, I believe she's suffered greatly. And WaPo *truly* did (does?) have a problem with their management and this realm. Oh, they're very good when it comes to political opponents, but otherwise....
"Demand the rest of us go along for the very obnoxious ride." Key word: demand. It's all about power, nothing else. "What can I do or say to you that will get you to do what I want or give me what I want?" is the only question.
We've seen a generation of people cowering and crouching and giving up institutions, money and power simply because they're afraid of being called a 'racist'. Why would they stop - as it has only worked.
This is a different flavor of the same thing, and the NY Times has been affected by it, and this 'reporter' is behaving in the way that gets her status. When people stop listening and stop being afraid of this type of thing, and begin mocking and telling 'reporters' like this to STFU, then it will stop.
(Spandrell has a great essay called "Bioleninism" on this status jockeying phenomenon. I recommend it.)
Rats! Judith Miller was born just a few decades too early.
Wow, great read. I literally just posted about this a few minutes ago. Please check it out riclexel.substack.com or https://riclexel.substack.com/p/beyond-1984
just a complete breakdown in word meaning and language integrity, it is like a new victim class every day
Many are asking themselves just why would "journalists" do what Natasha Bertrand, Jeffrey Goldberg, Judith Miller, David Frum, zillion others that dominate NYT, WaPo, Atlantic, etc. do... Besides the obvious motives -- money and career.
A possible answer is -- "in shared interests" ---- easy to analyze how many among them are "beloved Bibi's" Likudniks, have they ever addressed the Gaza open air concentration camp, terror on Palestinians in apartheid Israel, expressed anything other than hatred for Iran.
The US administrations are sadistic regimes - irrespective if under Obama, Trump, or Biden -- that thrive on the misery of nations. Syria, for example, was once a self-sufficient country -- before America decided (remember 17 years ago !!) that secular socialist Syria needs “democracy and freedom”.
CIA aligned itself “patriotically” with Al Qaeda for regime change -- who, for years, has been weekly bombing Syria -- without hardly being even mentioned in the US corporate media..... But – there is a “genocide”, this time, in China – playing all of us like a violin.
I am so glad I came upon you and decided to subscribe. Well worth the money.
Yes, but hope this too will pass once the pandemic subsides, we all get out in the fresh air and rely less on interacting with our phones. Less chances to be triggered when you’re confronted with more physical realities
I don't know if I should be laughing myself out of my chair, or crying. Brutally brilliant, as usual, Michael.