Press
I've been finding a lot of popular press coverage distressing. Maybe I should keep some sort of journal of my specific objections.
Here are a couple of bad habits which come to mind:
- not understanding or mentioning historical context
- presenting (or being aware of) only one side's position in a conflict
- being visibly impressed by power or capability, without discussing where it came from, or whether or how someone else could acquire it
- assuming that a particular event will happen
- projecting trends without explaining the basis for the projection; perceiving historical inevitability; ignoring the existence of conflicts
- editorializing about people or groups not in a position to complain about how they're characterized
- trying to fit people and ideas into familiar categories even where they're importantly different from what a reader is familiar with
- adopting a prejudice or stereotype without commenting on it
- ignoring a diversity of motives among people who do some particular thing
