Charles Blow Speaks in Defense of Truth

“We have become a society more interested in ammunition than information,” New York Times Columnist Charles Blow declared to a captivated audience. “We want to arm ourselves with accusations that affirm our convictions regardless of their veracity.” Blow, a New York Times columnist and the 141st Exonian board’s Strickler Speaker, addressed the Exeter community at assembly on Tue. Jan. 7, addressing the importance of journalism for American democracy and the weight of objectivity and truth in an increasingly divisive “fact crisis”. 

Blow, who frequently discusses national politics and social justice, said his drive to write commentary comes from a question he poses: “If I don’t write it, who will?” By writing all that he believes must be written, he believes he will make journalism more accessible. “News has become somewhat of a luxury,” he said in the public Q&A session Tuesday evening. “So there’s a stress in society around journalism.”

With an increasing presence of the internet and social media-sourced news, he claimed that it was more difficult for the world’s population to be informed, and easier for them to skim headlines and encounter articles that echo their opinions. In regard to the United States, Blow said in his assembly speech, “We are facing multiple dangers resulting from this degradation of truth. The country is facing a fact crisis.”

Blow described how politicians have often bent the truth to their benefit throughout history, including the current administration under President Donald Trump. To combat these skewed truths, “A free, fearless, adversarial, in-your-face press is the best friend a democracy can have,” Blow said. A weak press, he explained, leaves room for confusion of facts and truth. 

Blow explained that not only was journalism important to America’s prioritization of truth but to democracy itself. “Our Constitutional amendments that protect freedom of speech and freedom of the press are pillars that make this country great, and that makes this country different,” Blow said.

Blow’s discussion of the significance of journalism within a democracy resonated with many listeners, from both within and outside of the PEA community. 

Lisa Woody, an audience member of the Q & A open to the public, affirmed Blow’s reminder of the importance of newspapers and expressed how there will always be a need for journalism. “I don’t see journalism ever going away because people will always listen to it. Now what form that takes, I don’t know. But I think with it comes a great deal of responsibility, so we have to be careful.” she said. 

Some student audience members disagreed with Blow’s sentiment about the perils of social media. “There’s nothing that paper provides that electronic news can’t... so, I think what we’re facing with this sort of balance between electronic and paper media is a logical step.” Senior Sam Park stated. 

Senior and 141st Exonian Editor-In-Chief Suan Lee, who introduced Blow at assembly, expressed admiration for his work as a writer and journalist. She said she took inspiration from Blow’s use of narrative stories to support his claims. Blow’s desire to appeal to the humanity in people and illustrate the people behind news stories is a way to see “the value of journalism and the goodness it does,” Lee said. 

Audience member Lew Harriman expressed his appreciation for Blow’s objectivity. “I loved the clarity of his thinking. [He is] an observer and commentator. [He is] not a participant, [nor] an advocate. [Even though clearly he has a particular perspective] and would give you the impression that he has it, in fact he is quite clear that he does not.”

Meanwhile, students agreed with Blow’s views about the strong connections between journalism, democracy, and truth. He heavily discussed how journalism and democracy go hand-in-hand. “Keeping checks and balances on the government through journalism is important,” prep Mateo Connelly expressed.

Lee also articulated the importance of being able to read a dissenting story objectively in a new age of divisive truth, regardless of personal preconceptions. “Mr. Blow’s statement that a rigorous press is fundamental to a thriving democracy is something I agree with wholeheartedly.”