“The frantic haste with which we bolt everything we take, seconded by the eager wish of the journalist not to be a day behind his competitor, abolishes deliberation from judgment and sound digestion from our mental constitutions. We have no time to go below surfaces, and as a general thing no disposition.”
Amazingly, that was written in 1891 about the effects the telegraph was having on newspapers. It is still relevant today and is worth remembering both by journalists and their readers, and even moreso by those who create and digest websites, blogs, and the like.
Sorry, I know it’s not about golf, but it is nourishing food for thought. And it comes from an article in the year-end issue of The Economist, which may now be hard to find but is worth tracking down for its many fascinating long pieces on subjects as diverse as the River Amur, building violins, and what Socrates would think of modern-day America. I spent a good part of the holiday break reading almost every word of every article, relishing every bit.
I now feel prepared to tackle the new year.
