The Pursuit of Truth: journalism as exploration into the unknown

Our country needs journalists who are willing to pursue truth wherever it takes them, even if—maybe, especially if—it strays from popular political belief

Raised on a steady diet of hikes, climbs and descents, I was taught the importance of discomfort and the value in adventure. These explorations were nearly always coupled with father-to-son conversations spanning the length of the outing and the width of eternity. They inspired in me a desire to experience life in more detail so that I could articulate its meaning and see it for what it really was. This hunger for understanding the world is what led me to BYU and is what continues to fuel my interest in journalism, which I understand to be the collective effort to examine ideas and uncover—slowly but surely—the truth.

The pursuit of truth is what defines journalism and is what attracted me to it as a prospective college student. However, after returning home from an LDS mission last year, I noticed that this essential objective of journalism was being buried beneath more immediate, but less transcendent, political causes. It seemed that the pursuit of truth had become subservient to party loyalties and cheap ideological solutions. Instead of encouraging the open exchange of ideas and respectful consideration of all viewpoints, the media seemed dead set on promoting its own worldviews. Journalists were acting more like prestigious lecturers and less like impartial observers, more like enlightened informers and less like fellow explorers.

Our country needs journalists who are willing to pursue truth wherever it takes them, even if—maybe, especially if—it strays from popular political belief. True journalism is meant to provide an environment for open dialogue and productive discussion, not merely a platform for advancing political agendas. True journalism is exploration. It is wandering into the grey area beyond dogmatized ideology, chipping away at the assumptions that stand in the way of progress, and striving to find that which no longer gives—that which is unmovable.

As a journalist I hope to write content that helps others open their minds to new possibilities, reconsider old assumptions and form more sound and complete opinions about the most important issues in society. I want to master the quickly growing medium of online journalism to tell riveting stories, explain complex ideas and promote freedom. Ultimately, I want to continue on that path those wilderness conversations set me on years ago, exploring life in all of its nuance and depth, never stopping in the pursuit of truth.

Thank you for taking the time to read this essay. Feel free to explore my blog by clicking on the "Better Dialogue" logo at the top or bottom of the screen!

Here are links to some of my COMMS 239 video-journalism assignments

if you are interested:

SLC Hindu Temple: https://youtu.be/CEnqn5Iq5U0

Personal Profile of Musician: https://www.betterdialogueblog.com/post/mama-a-songwriter-s-journey-through-grief-during-a-pandemic

Post-Debate Interviews: https://youtu.be/3hTnWaJIUvo

3-Hive Record Lounge: https://youtu.be/HbfFGZBL5D8

Personal Profile of brother: https://youtu.be/yDOOTiJnyLM

Log in to leave a comment below! Please continue this conversation by sharing your opinion in the comments section and sharing this blog post with your friends.