A friend gave me a subscription to The Economist and I’ve been reading it. After a couple of issues, I wrote this imaginary letter from an Economist reporter.
Hello, my name is Leonard Smerdly. I’m a reporter-editor for The Economist, though you’ll never see my name in it. When I’m assigned a topic, my editors want me to touch briefly on all the problems and challenges associated with that topic. But, I’m under orders to always conclude that these problems aren’t anything the Ruling Class can’t keep juggling successfully, however daunting they may seem when listed. Also, I’m ordered not to write about really big systemic problems the world faces, such as U.S. militarism or the fact that the form of government in the U.S. can hardly be regarded as a democracy anymore. I’m also told not to point fingers at major corporate malefactors, such as companies who produce weapons or GMO foods, inasmuch as a lot of those guys who run those companies are friends of our editors and owners, and many are advertisers too. And, oh yes, I’m not supposed to write anything that sounds at all sympathetic to leftist politicians, leftist activists, leftist writers, trade unions, or Julian Assange. Aside from these constraints, it’s a pretty good job. I’m quite well paid and my editors appreciate my ability to research and write succinctly and artfully within the constraints they have set for me. Well, that’s all for now.
Your friend,
Leonard
Business idea: a tool for stringing together one’s various prized Bookmarks and iPad apps into sort of a slideshow that you could easily be escorted through. As it is, the two formats aka platforms (websites and apps) are getting confusing. I have maybe 30 places I tend to visit via a group of Bookmarks I maintain that I call my “Morning News” and about 10 apps (“CBS Evening News” et al) I get to when I remember to — two different (un)walled gardens.