bhkad
DP Veteran
- Joined
- May 18, 2007
- Messages
- 10,742
- Reaction score
- 1,754
- Gender
- Undisclosed
- Political Leaning
- Undisclosed
How about a, "Newsmakers Profile" category?
I propose that DP create a new category in the menu to be devoted to information about the people in the news and that this category be called, Newsmakers Profile.
There are some posters who still have a one dimensional view of people like GWB or Ahmadinejad or Putin and when we try to gain insight into the events of the day we sometimes color our interpretation of the events with the same brush we use to paint the newsmaker, accurately and fairly, or not.
Further, in my time looking at news events I've come to recognize that an understanding of the influences on an individual and their reactions to those influences can be important clues to interpreting current events and sometimes getting clues into what those people may do in the future.
Right now, for example, I get the impression there are some here (as well as in Washington, DC) who are trying to give Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a P.R. makeover and I see it being somewhat successful. Some folks are promoting the idea that the interests of Democracy, Liberty, Moderation and International Cooperation can be achieved by simply negotiating with Iran and these people just will not understand why this is unlikely until they look closer at a personality profile of the Iranian President.
I propose that a new category be opened here at DP for the purpose of looking at the people in the news so that we might have a resource at our fingertips containing contributions found by DP participants, for DP participants, which will be better than a Wikipedia entry in that we will be able to discuss the information found and posted.
Instead of making the newsmaker an afterthought to the events they are involved in or instead of making the personality of the newsmaker a malleable clay puppet we can manipulate here to create faulty interpretations and to serve whatever position we may be trying to foist upon the readership I propose we allow for the real world to enter our way of assessing politics.
You can't fully understand politics or political issues without a solid understanding of the people and personalities involved.
With a newsmakers profile category added to the DP menu line-up we might eventually enjoy more cogent debates and people just might become better informed than they are through the current process of education.
As a footnote and an illustration of how we might be better served by having a newsmakers profile added to the DP lineup, consider this.
Since his election in 2005 these are the thread titles featuring Ahmadinejad's name.
If I were interested in learning about him, which thread would have his statements regarding his disregard for America? Which thread would have his statements which said that he did not care about how Iranians cut their hair (in response to calls that he enforce Islamic grooming laws as President)? What was the result of his suggestion that the 'martyrs' of the Iran-Iraq war be buried in Tehran? As opposed to some who dismiss him as an insane madman, why was he consistently one of the most popular University professors and what were his achievements as Mayor of Tehran?
In a Newsmakers Profile on Mahmoud Ahmadinejad all of these things, and more, might be posted and would provide us a repository of information that might be unique among competing political discussion sites but would certainly increase the level of understanding of the people behind todays events.
Once again, I propose that DP create a new category in the menu to be devoted to information about the people in the news and that this category be called, Newsmakers Profile.
I propose that DP create a new category in the menu to be devoted to information about the people in the news and that this category be called, Newsmakers Profile.
There are some posters who still have a one dimensional view of people like GWB or Ahmadinejad or Putin and when we try to gain insight into the events of the day we sometimes color our interpretation of the events with the same brush we use to paint the newsmaker, accurately and fairly, or not.
Further, in my time looking at news events I've come to recognize that an understanding of the influences on an individual and their reactions to those influences can be important clues to interpreting current events and sometimes getting clues into what those people may do in the future.
Right now, for example, I get the impression there are some here (as well as in Washington, DC) who are trying to give Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a P.R. makeover and I see it being somewhat successful. Some folks are promoting the idea that the interests of Democracy, Liberty, Moderation and International Cooperation can be achieved by simply negotiating with Iran and these people just will not understand why this is unlikely until they look closer at a personality profile of the Iranian President.
I propose that a new category be opened here at DP for the purpose of looking at the people in the news so that we might have a resource at our fingertips containing contributions found by DP participants, for DP participants, which will be better than a Wikipedia entry in that we will be able to discuss the information found and posted.
Instead of making the newsmaker an afterthought to the events they are involved in or instead of making the personality of the newsmaker a malleable clay puppet we can manipulate here to create faulty interpretations and to serve whatever position we may be trying to foist upon the readership I propose we allow for the real world to enter our way of assessing politics.
You can't fully understand politics or political issues without a solid understanding of the people and personalities involved.
With a newsmakers profile category added to the DP menu line-up we might eventually enjoy more cogent debates and people just might become better informed than they are through the current process of education.
As a footnote and an illustration of how we might be better served by having a newsmakers profile added to the DP lineup, consider this.
Since his election in 2005 these are the thread titles featuring Ahmadinejad's name.
If I were interested in learning about him, which thread would have his statements regarding his disregard for America? Which thread would have his statements which said that he did not care about how Iranians cut their hair (in response to calls that he enforce Islamic grooming laws as President)? What was the result of his suggestion that the 'martyrs' of the Iran-Iraq war be buried in Tehran? As opposed to some who dismiss him as an insane madman, why was he consistently one of the most popular University professors and what were his achievements as Mayor of Tehran?
In a Newsmakers Profile on Mahmoud Ahmadinejad all of these things, and more, might be posted and would provide us a repository of information that might be unique among competing political discussion sites but would certainly increase the level of understanding of the people behind todays events.
Once again, I propose that DP create a new category in the menu to be devoted to information about the people in the news and that this category be called, Newsmakers Profile.
Last edited:
