Could I Possibly…with Journalism?

Could I possibly expect to be able to travel the world, with Journalism? I would say, why not. Journalism is an art form that adheres to no boundaries. What is stopping me from travelling to all the remote areas, towns and villages around Africa, Asia and South America? What’s stopping me from telling the stories of the people left behind by the technological age that we all live comfortably in. We miss out on so many inspiring stories, magnificent traditions and peculiar cultures of people like you and me who have been forgotten and ignored by the rest of the world.

Could I possibly expect or be expected to make a difference in people’s lives simply by simply photographing? I would say, why not. The old saying goes, “a picture tells a thousand words”, which I believe to be true. There are many significant pictures in mankind’s history. It amazes me that the large portion of the world has not travelled across borders, but has all seen images such as the Mona Lisa, Michelangelo, The Afghan Girl and many others. This is a direct result of the media, more specifically, journalism. Pictures, in this ever changing world, is our only constant connection to the past, why shouldn’t we preserve our heritage and stories within a simple picture, and tell a thousand words.

Could I possibly make a difference in people’s lives by simply writing? I would say, why not. The news and current affairs we read about in newspapers on a daily basis resemble the world we live in. Sex scandals become high news, rape and murder too. What happened to all the community leaders who are trying to better their own lives and communities that they live in. We dig so deep in public figure’s private lives, that we cannot tell the difference between what is relevant to us, not what will be the next gossip topic for our lunch breaks. Our perception of the world and our country is pretty bleak, yet we all gain satisfaction reading irrelevant garbage that does not affect us. I, as a journalist, should lead by example and write stories on inspirational people, community building events and relevant scandals.

The dark future ahead seems to be eclipsing at our current rate, but the light still shines through the people who try and make a difference in our lives, it’s up to us, journalists, to tell their stories.Could I possibly…with journalism. Alone, I probably would not make too much of an impact. However, leading by example, becoming a trend setter could sway other journalists to see my points of view and jump on my band-wagon for a brighter, better more relevant tomorrow.