Saturday, January 8, 2011

Objectivity

Journalists and historians with right-wing views cannot be objective. The same is true, of course, for left-wing journalists or left wing historians. It would be better if they declared their views openly and didn’t play the game of objectivity or scientific accuracy. Journalism is never objective and history is not an objective science. Neutral, independent and objective people does not exist. We are all leaning left or right, forward or backward.

Biology is not an objective science either. A right-wing biologist will see the world through his right-wing glasses; and a left-wing biologist will see the world through his left-wing glasses. A right-wing biologist will emphasize competition and a left-wing biologist will emphasize cooperation.

It is indeed very difficult to look at things objectively.

Not even religion or “spirituality” is free from political bias. The Catholic Church and the different Protestant Churches have always supported the far right. We don’t have to wonder where we are with them. The problem is all the gurus and the spiritual teachers of today. Do they vote in the elections? Do they care about child labor and exploitation of poor people?

Many of the “spiritual people” believe that they don’t have a political view. This is a delusion. If they are voting in elections, they should declare whom they are voting for. And if they don’t vote, they should say so and give the reasons for it.

It is impossible, as I see it, to have no point of view.

“Racism is ok. White people are superior to the colored races.”
“It is ok to exploit small children in the third world in order to get very rich. This is how economic growth is created and growth is good. Greed is good.”
It is impossible to have no opinion about statements like these.
If you believe that these statements are wrong, you should be able to say so.

“Oh, I’m not siding with anybody. I don’t have an opinion. I’m above politics.”

If you had lived in Nottingham in the days of Robin Hood, would you have supported Robin Hood or the Sheriff of Nottingham?

“I would have taken care of my own business.”

And if Robin Hood would have needed your help, would you have helped him, or would you have helped the Sheriff’s men?