My only advantage as a reporter is that I am so physically small, so temperamentally unobtrusive, and so neurotically inarticulate that people tend to forget that my presence runs counter to their best interests. And it always does. That is one last thing to remember: writers are always selling somebody out.
In her essay "Slouching Towards Bethlehem," Joan Didion reflects on the nature of journalism and the role of the reporter. She acknowledges that her physical smallness and unassuming demeanor allow her to blend into her surroundings, which often leads subjects to let their guard down. This creates a dynamic where the people she observes may not fully grasp the implications of her presence, as she is there to document their realities. Didion suggests that this uninvited intrusion comes with ethical complexities, highlighting the tension in journalistic relationships.
Furthermore, Didion emphasizes that the act of writing inherently involves a level of betrayal. She asserts that writers, by capturing stories and truths, inevitably sell out the individuals whose lives they depict. The quote encapsulates the duality of a reporter's role: while they seek to convey authentic experiences, they also exploit those very moments for narrative. This acknowledgment raises important questions about the responsibilities of writers to their subjects and the moral implications of their storytelling.
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