How does the principle of objectivity in journalism influence the structure and tone of news writing, and what ethical dilemmas arise when striving for neutrality?
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Objectivity in journalism has a significant influence on the structure and tone of news writing, shaping how journalists report and present information to the public.
Structure of News Writing
– Inclusion of Multiple Perspectives: Objective journalism often involves presenting “both sides” of a story to provide a balanced view. This approach ensures that readers or viewers are exposed to different viewpoints, allowing them to form their own opinions based on the facts presented[4].
– Use of Neutral Language: Journalists adhere to using neutral language to avoid bias and ensure that the reporting does not favor one side over the other. This helps in maintaining the credibility of the news outlet[4].
– Separation of Facts and Opinions: Objective journalism emphasizes the distinction between factual reporting and opinion pieces. This separation is crucial in maintaining the integrity of news stories and preventing personal opinions from influencing the factual content[4].
Tone of News Writing
– Impartiality and Fairness: The tone of objective journalism is characterized by impartiality and fairness. Journalists strive to report the news without taking a stance or promoting a particular agenda, which helps in maintaining a neutral tone[1][4].
– Dispassionate Analysis: Objective reporting involves dispassionate analysis, where journalists make professional judgments based on facts rather than personal feelings or biases. This approach ensures that the tone remains analytical and informative rather than emotive or persuasive[2].
– Avoidance of Sensationalism: Objective journalism avoids sensationalism and instead focuses on accurate and comprehensive reporting. This helps in maintaining a tone that is informative and respectful, rather than sensational or provocative[4].
Historical Evolution
– From “Just the Facts” to Analysis: Historically, the concept of objectivity in journalism evolved from a strict “just the facts” approach in the 1940s and 1950s to including analysis and interpretation from the 1960s onwards. This shift allowed journalists to provide context and deeper insights while still adhering to the principles of objectivity[2].
Challenges and Criticisms
– Subjective Decision-Making: Despite the efforts to maintain objectivity, journalism inherently involves subjective decision-making, such as selecting which stories to cover and how to present them. This subjectivity can sometimes be misinterpreted as bias[3].
– Criticisms and Adjustments: Objectivity has faced criticisms over the years, with some arguing that it can privilege the perspectives of the powerful and others seeing it as a barrier to truth-telling. However, these criticisms have not led to the abandonment of objectivity but rather to its refinement and continued commitment to impartial reporting[2].
In summary, objectivity in journalism influences the structure of news writing by ensuring balanced reporting, using neutral language, and separating facts from opinions. The tone of objective journalism is characterized by impartiality, fairness, and dispassionate analysis, all of which are crucial in maintaining the credibility and integrity of news reporting.
