The cynics do not serve this trade, good journalism
"The cynics do not work for this trade", with the subtitle "about good journalism", it is an essay by the Polish journalist and writer Ryszard Kapuściński, being published on April 18, 2006. Referring to the nature of the text, it can be verified that it has a nature of the historical-literary type, since the author bases his work on the reflection of the role that journalists have in society.
This book of just over 100 pages collects immense amount of experiences of the author himself and plasma in a prologue and three parts. The first of these parts has the title of “Ismael continues to sail”, collect here a meeting that was held in Cappordaco Di Fermo (Apulia), with the presence of Kapuściński, and which was moderated by María Nadotti. In this first part, elements of great importance are treated in the trade of journalism: the first of them, which we find on page 32, is that of a certain disposition to accept the sacrifice of a part of ourselves, continues with a distinction of The levels at which the trade can be carried out, on the one hand, a lower level that does not differ from the other works, and on the other hand a higher level where we put individuality and ambitions, "dedication and soul", finally, finally Consider personal experience.
Kapuściński also refers during the first part to divide journalists into two categories. First, the servants of the Gleba and from another place the directors, who "are the patterns, who dictate the rules, are the kings, decide," says the author. And this is one of today’s main problems in journalism, it is the big companies that control, dominate and monopolize the information making it an attractive business for them. However, it is not so beneficial for the profession, as can be verified in the second heading of topic 2 of the subject and also evidenced precariousness (excessive assignment of tasks, rotation of journalists, dependence to improve conditions …), a great pressure received daily from the company or the boss reaching a figure of 79’3%.
Continuing with the work we enter the second part that takes the title of “Explain a contine. This leap is surprising in the time after having defined the current situation of journalism, but the retrospection it makes of the history of the decolonization of Africa is of great need. It is worth noting the appearance of multiple direct sources such as Nasser, Sékou Toura, Lumumba. It also makes clear in this part of the work a differentiation, in this case that of the continent itself, since it says that: “There are different Africas, four, at least: North Africa, an immense strip that extends from the Mediterranean coasts to the Sahara; Western Africa, East Africa and, finally, Austral Africa. Each of these African regions is deeply different from each of the others ”. Although he assures that they all have something in common that is the struggle for independence. And it is from this part where we see the lack of two of the current models of democracy such as liberalism and deliberative politics.
The third and last part is entitled "The story in a garlic clove", where it develops together with John Berger the similarities and differences between journalism and literary writing, and returning again to moderate the María Nadotti encounter in November 1994. We will stop commenting on the main source of this story that is John Berger, English author of novels, stories, essays, poems, scripts and dramatic texts in several languages, as well as an abundant production as a cartoonist and author of documentaries.
In short, in this work Ryszard Kapuściński seeks and manages to effectively elucidate the situation that journalism is experiencing at the beginning the direct approach to his speech during the first part. Subsequently he does it by presenting, in two remaining parts, his testimonies and other characters on his trips in Africa, and in an encounter with the English writer and art critic John Berger. To finally analyze public relevance I would like to refer to the moment when Kapuściński talks about the value of journalism. Defines journalism as a lifestyle and not as a job. This, today, is essential since the journalist’s mind occupies all the time. I think that teaching shows a lot of work capacity and is a term that can be applied to this profession as well as life in other circumstances. The added value of this little book is the teachings of an amazed man with his work, which could be called the voice of the experience.
Bibliography
- The cynics do not work for this trade-Kapuscinski, Ryszard-978-84-339-6796-1-Anagramal Editorial. (2006, April 18). Recovered from https: // www.Anagrama-Ed.es/book/compact/the-cinics-no-sirven-for-this- Office/978433967961/cm_365
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