Earlier in the year, we had a number of discussions regarding the nature of the old press (newspapers, television, radio, etc.) and the new press (the curious amalgam of platforms and methods of reporting that get distributed online). What seems to be happening is that people are searching for ways to define what is evolving from this transitional period. Roy Peter Clark's article describes a Fifth Estate. You might first remind yourself of the original meaning of the "fourth estate," but then read and respond to Clark's article with a 400-word comment to this post by 3:30 tomorrow (5/6/9).
Respond to these questions:
Does his description of the situation sound logical to you?
What role do you see yourself playing in this "Fifth Estate"?
Does the idea of a fifth estate seem like a productive one for society or not? Explain.
(It may also help to read some of the comments associated with the article as at least one addresses some of the questions I've posed. And if you're really nuts about the topic, go ahead and read the "related" articles)
Samuel Guadagnino
ReplyDeleteJournalism
hour 7
Does this description of the situation sound logical to you?
Yes, very much so. Our 7th hour journalism class has been talking a lot about the drastic changes that journalism will have to face in the not so distant future. An example we talked about were the blogger’s who work for free, or might just happen to get some revenue from advertisement on their web pages. This is vary logical situation that journalism is facing because of the internet. There is a level of concerns which I have for the educated journalist, but newer times calls for change and possibly easier and more desired way for people to get their news.
What role do you see yourself playing in this "Fifth Estate"?
I am the consumer, and part of the puzzle who helps decide the future of journalism. I can support one side or the other. The role I see myself playing in the future is toward the more educated journalist who definitely don’t work for free. However, I get almost all my news from the internet, and knowing that the way I receive my news is becoming more of a standard way receiving news; I can predict that certain aspects of journalism will eventually die, and others will be raised to a higher rate of demand by the public tendency.
Does the idea of a fifth estate seem like a productive one for society or not?
Of course there are many flaws with the fifth estate being in society. It is very possible that the uneducated and unqualified writers’ who work for free could get their facts wrong, this would cause the readers’ to be just as uneducated with the topic as the writer is. I like to think that people will be the judge for themselves, and choose to read or retain their information by perhaps more qualified means. And of course there is the fact that someone so called “less qualified” could be a genius and completely give the better answer and invent a new way of doing things than the so called “professional.” I personal stand for it, noticing its issues with or without it.
I do find this article to be logical in the fact that it addresses a major source of change in the way we obtain our news. Where journalism once was articles in the print newspaper, journalism has extended its boundaries to bloggers and YouTube to name a few. I think the article perfectly described the emerging Fifth estate as, “a frame that sees that the freedoms and responsibilities of the First Amendment empower not just a professional caste of news gatherers and distributors, but potentially every citizen”. I have come to believe that journalism is the telling of news; whether it is a blogger talking about a celebrity or a New York Times journalist writing about the recent fluctuations in the stock market. News is now dispatched from an endless number of sources and I think whether someone is a “professional journalist” or “amateur” they still contribute to the overall telling of news and therefore are included in the Fifth estate.
ReplyDeleteI see myself playing a large in the Fifth estate. While I have experimented with writing blogs, they are amusing at first but ultimately become repetitive. I also do not particularly like to write articles and do not see myself being a journalist. This however, does not mean I will not play a large role in Fifth estate. The base of the emerging Fifth estate is the viewers. I think everyone who reads or watches some aspect of news is playing a role in the Fifth estate and this is the role I play currently. People are interested in different types of news and this Fifth estate caters to myself and others on an individual basis. So I guess I do not play a conventional role in the Fifth estate but I do think I play a major role in the foundation of the Fifth estate.
I think the Fifth estate is productive to an extent in a society. I think its productive because it makes news available in many different forms. I also think that the variety of subjects that the Fifth estate covers is remarkable, however I think it uncovers a situation brought up earlier this year in class: Are the types of news that people are interested in really beneficiary to the public? At this period of time almost everyone can virtually become part of the Fifth estate and this is great but I think it is causing a major downfall in the quality of the news.
Does his description of the situation sound logical to you?
ReplyDeleteA direct answer would be yes. A change of some sort is definitely already happening. Less and less we see physical print publications, and more and more we get our news intake when we log into our email accounts, start up our browser and scan the homepage headlines, or hit an interesting link in an act of procrastination. The fact is, the fourth estate is a natural mechanic of our society and cannot completely vanish. When the newspapers as we know them all die out, bloggers may rise from the ashes and band together for the sake of reliable reporting, and as with everything, the best will rise to the top.
What role do you see yourself playing in this "Fifth Estate"?
I don’t think I’ll be involved in freelance reporting, or even pay for a news service. News gets around, no matter how much is charged for it. People like me will be more than mindless leeches, however, as we will always provide the hunger for information that the fifth estate’s purpose is to satiate.
Does the idea of a fifth estate seem like a productive one for society or not? Explain.
The increased amateur activity in the world of news will be good for the public, I think. It will bring us news on a closer and more personal level, easier to relate to. Productive or not, however, a change has come and will continue. We may not see a stable world of journalism for years.
I believe that Clark's description of the situation sounds logical because the term, "fifth estate" is very broad. Unlike the fourth estate, which primarily includes just the press, the fifth estate includes more than just professional journalists. For example, bloggers, documentary film
ReplyDeletemakers, students and teachers working on news projects, former journalists, journalism educators, online journalists, nonprofit organizations, producers and programmers, amateur journalists, etc. are included in the term "fifth estate". Each group who is
apart of the fifth estate, whether it is big or small, helps to maneuver the machine. Since journalism has evolved into so many aspects other than print journalism, the profession needs more people to help keep it going strong. Amateur journalists play a very special role in the new journalism, the “fifth estate.” These people are
obviously not as experienced as professional journalists or even free-lance journalists; however, they fuel the fire profusely. Amateur journalists may simply be witnesses of a crime who snap a quick picture of the incident, but that one picture can make or break a good news story. Journalism is evolving into quite a broad profession because almost everyone who wants to be involved with it has an opportunity to do so. This aspect of the fifth estate has its good and bad affects. It is good because more people can be involved with one of the most important professions in the world. However, journalism must stay a profession as it moves into the zone of
the fifth estate. People still need to trust journalists and most importantly believe, or at least respect, the hard work that goes into telling any kind of news story. Everyone who is part of the fifth
estate works hard, but professional journalists are the backbone of it. Professional journalists are the ones who have been working for centuries to create such a strong profession. The lay-offs that are happening at almost all of the news stations throughout the US are terrible. People are “firing” the backbone of journalism. However, the professionals who get laid off will simply re-join the cycle by pursuing their career as a free-lance journalist, for example. I do not believe that professional journalists who get laid off will discontinue writing and reporting. The fifth estate gives all of theses different types of people a chance to stay afloat in the drowning profession of journalism, as it evolves into a totally new profession.
ReplyDeleteDoes this description of the situation sound logical to you?
Yes his assessment is a very good one. Journalism, like most things, is changing. In our class we have been discussing the changing ways of journalism, it is very apparent through our discussions; journalism is in a metamorphosis stage. With the insurgence of bloggers and home press/internet journalists, this is a very logical situation. To some manor I must express some concern towards the print journalist, though I must say that Darwin said it best, that survival of the fittest reigns supreme. Journalists must adapt to the ever changing surrounding, lest they parish.
What role do you see yourself playing in this "Fifth Estate"?
I will play the role of the target audience, the person to which the news is fed. As the audience I must distinguish between the real and fake news. I will judge the media by what is on the internet, because, as sad as it may be, I see print journalism being completely obsolete by the year 2014. I will use a filter that sifts through the nonsense, called common sense to distinguish what is important and not important. Using this filter I will also judge the fifth estate on its efficiency to do what the forth estate did so well.
Does the idea of a fifth estate seem like a productive one for society or not?
The fifth estate is just progress. I do not see it as being much of a hindrance to society, but I do not see it bettering society greatly. Times change, and technology with it, the development of the fifth estate is nothing but an example of this. I feel the productiveness of the fifth estate will be at a low status for some time, as people begin to realize they can say whatever they want and people will read, and in some cases buy it (gulability). As time passes, however, I see one of two things happening. Either this ridiculous blogger “post whatever you want” thing takes hold, or like print sources, gets phased down into more serious news, with the occasional side paper (i.e. The National Inquirer) only to much greater expanse. Though I see these things, I do think the general idea for the 5th estate is a good one, progress is good, as it is a gradual betterment, and as stated earlier, the fifth estate is progress.
This proverbial “Fifth Estate” that Clark talks about in his article has been used to describe “an emerging landscape for news, information, community and citizenship” as well as “the work of bloggers, but that circle may be too small for such a big term.” We have talked a lot about the ever-changing world of today’s journalism and transition from print news to online journalism. Clark believes that the Fifth Estate includes in the Fourth Estate because the blogosphere relies on the work of professional journalists but a large part of the public has flocked to getting their news from an independent online source of their choosing, making the work of the Fourth Estate “insufficient for democratic life.”
ReplyDeleteIf in fact that the Fifth Estate does refer to the expanding universe of the blogosphere, then I agree one hundred percent with what Clark says. We had several discussions about how blogosphere relies on the work professional reporters. Despite that, blogs and other online print sources are becoming more popular than the traditional sources like newspapers, television news broadcasts and radio news.
Clark uses several other professions that are experiencing trends that put the pros and cons of print versus online journalism. My favorite comparison of his was the relation to the medical field. Online medical journals have made the public more informed of treatments to smaller illnesses and/or injuries. We can’t count on ourselves or our peers for every medical issue, but it’s easier to treat yourself for a common cold, or a stubbed toe. The point is, that we have to realize what kind of articles what we can go to the blogosphere for, and which ones are better left to the pros.
As far as my role goes in the Fifth Estate, I can choose which of the many sources I want to consume. Beyond that, I can’t do anything else on my own. This wide variety of news sources are made for readers like me, so I can have a number sources I can go to for different types of news. With that said, the responsibility falls on the readers to pick a good balance of blogs and professional news. If too many people flock to the blogs that rely on the work of professional reporters, the news affiliates that support the reporters won’t get enough customers and go out of business, and the blogs will have nothing to write about.
Does this description of the situation sound logical to you?
ReplyDeleteYes, I think it does indeed. Journalism has grown so much over the many years. It has extended much further that just news stories in the Newspaper. We now have access to so many other ways to find news, such as going online. I liked the example when he said in the article
"Informed consent" is now an ethical requirement. More and more patients get useful information from medical Web sites, and go into their doctors' offices with knowledge and questions unavailable to previous generations.” This is a great example of how journalism has grown.
What role do you see yourself playing in this "Fifth Estate"?
I think I would be helpful hand in the future of journalism. The older I get the more my interest in the news, and finding out new things about our world grows more and more. We have talking in our class about journalism dying, and I can see that happening. It’s a lot easier to go online and find out something, than go into the newspaper to find what it is your searching for.
Does the idea of a fifth estate seem like a productive one for society or not?
Overall I think it is productive. This gives people of all kinds interested in different things the chance to read the news. Since the Fifth estate is making news available in many forms, this will create an increase of knowledge I believe. I think it is a great opportunity for many people who do not read the paper daily.
While I can certainly appreciate the arguments put forth by Roy Peter Clark in his article regarding the fifth estate, I have to call into question the idealistic nature of his ideas, especially those regarding the encompassing of every citizen. While I myself am a large proponent of new media, what Clark describes, an all encompassing umbrella of citizen led media that would call upon a large amount of citizen activism, is entirely impractical for a frighteningly large and ever increasing portion of the population to achieve.
ReplyDeleteI believe strongly in the need for consumers of media to take an active role in not only what the read on blogs and in the paper, but also on what they post online. Clark discusses a lot of his ideas regarding the fifth estate, and how it encompasses not only blogs, but also all forms of media coming together to form a new estate entirely. This proposal is one rarely heard during the bemoaning of the death of print media or the fervent pushers of a solely online format. Just like any technological or social advancement, and the Internet can certainly be seen as both, the result of its introduction into society will bring about a much needed and necessary change in the way we function as a populace.
I think, amid the idealism of Clarks commentary on a utopian society where every citizen feels compelled to participate in this new and ever changing fifth estate, that there are many thoughtful and promising ideals regarding the integration of old media and new media into something that those of us who cherish the role the first amendment, and certainly journalism in general, can get behind. While there will always be those of us who would much rather read about Brangelina’s newest adopted child than those suffering daily in Darfur, those who will never fully experience the joys of reading an insightful blog post or a newspaper from cover to cover, there is a large enough portion of the population who will always care, and who will always await the next estate to envelop and captivate us.
Does his description of the situation sound logical to you?
ReplyDeleteI think it is clear that he knows what is going on in this day and age, and he recognizes the direction things are moving. I like how he compares journalists to other professions, stating how journalism has changed. For example, journalism used to have "tipsters," but now those tipsters can just go write about their experiences and tips on their blog. People no longer need to go to a newspaper to tell their story.
What role do you see yourself playing in this "Fifth Estate?"
I play the role of a consumer who tends toward this fifth estate. I pretty much only read newspapers for the comics these days, and the internet for my news, since the sheer number of websites out their that cater to my interests overwhelming. I no longer have to scour the dark corners of the paper for something I am vaguely interested in. While I don't go to any blogs for news, I often use websites run by a small team of people or simply an RSS aggregator to find news from similar sites.
Does the idea of a fifth estate seem like a productive one for society or not? Explain.
I could see this "fifth estate" being productive, if a certain standard is established. If we start getting news from a random lady's blog who usually talks about her 45 cats, I'd see it as counterproductive. Unfortunately, the way things are right now seem to lean in that direction. Anyone can write "news," even though there seems to be no incentive for them other than page views and the occasional comment. On the other hand, since everyone with internet access can start a news blog, every single person is essentially an honorary journalist/reporter for their own personal publication. Hopefully this means that a wider range of unbiased (or biased, if you prefer) will become available, and perhaps a few sites or blogs will develop a certain sense of trust and truthiness from society as a whole.
Clark’s article on the “Fifth Estate” applies to every blogger and every journalism student that writes articles without a professional degree. It could even be said that student newspapers also belong in the “Fifth Estate.” Whether we read it in a newspaper or magazine or hear about it on the radio or watch it online, news surrounds every person. Although true journalism needs to be taught, amateur writers should not be shunned from the professional world of journalism. They have a right to learn the same amount of information than the professional journalists in half the time.
ReplyDeleteThe journalism crisis calls for more citizen writers that will be able to keep the craft alive. Blogs are not given as much credit for the information that they portray for the general public. Newspapers are still hailed for their authenticity but other sources need to be given the time of day. Amateur journalists have just as much to say as professionals. Furthermore, they deal with community issues that might otherwise go unnoticed by anyone. From the smallest blogs, loads of information has been entered into the newstream for the general public. Like Clark said, people are more educated on what to do in certain cases of emergency.
As a journalism student, I think it is important to hold the articles amateurs make with some credit. News does not solely belong to the professionals, it belongs to all that love and appreciate the craft of writing a news article. It should not be the case that amateur journalist’s words are ridiculed or not taken serious because of the opinion of an establishment. I would like to think that the articles I write have meaning and will be taken seriously. Although I don’t have a degree, my words should be able to make just as much of a difference as a New York Times writer. They may not be the words of a professional but they speak truth, something we all look for when we read or listen or watch the news.
Both sides of the “fifth estate” argument make sense to me. On one hand, it’s true that blogs are popping up more and more, and that journalists are going outside their field in search of jobs relating to journalism. On the other, saying that every citizen has a role to play in the fifth estate is a stretch.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, saying that the fourth estate is “insufficient for democratic life” is ridiculous. The fourth estate has been sufficient for democratic life for years. Technological life, meanwhile, has forced the fourth estate into a corner. However, I do not think that the fourth and fifth estate are really separate entities.
Beyond that, Clark’s analogy of amateurism aiding professions doesn’t look at the flip side of that: amateur remolding that can leave your house in ruins, or amateur cooking that can give you food poisoning. Putting such a weight on someone who is both the consumer and producer but also an amateur is dangerous. Agreeing wholeheartedly with whatever a blogger says can be similarly dangerous for the consumer.
Clark puts too much faith in the ability of the consumer to find balanced news sources on his or her own. How can we function in a society where there are a select few (which really may not be a small number at all, but is certainly not the majority) of people who decide what people should think? Who tell them what they should think? And who, furthermore, are generally self-serving because their blogs are independent?
Over and over we hear journalists say that democracy cannot function without a free press. It’s a statement that is hard to deny. For years, journalists have acted as a watchdog on the government, but have also regulated themselves.
With the arrival of what Clark calls the fifth estate—in particular blogs and other forms of “new media”—we see journalists, professional or not, regulating themselves less and less.
There are good blogs out there, but there are also bad ones. There’s a place for the good blogs—under the wing of the “old media” outlets, like on the New York Times website or an equivalent.
Clark says that the fifth estate will eventually encompass, or even take over, the fourth, but I see just the opposite happening. Yes, I think they’ll merge—they’ll have to. But the fact is that the fourth estate has been around too long to simply die out; and, in fact, I think the fifth estate is not really separate from the fourth, but an extension of it. There has always been a place for the everyday citizen in the fourth estate, and the role hasn’t changed all that much.
Does his description of the situation sound logical to you?
ReplyDeleteClark's depiction of the situation seems pretty logical and correct. Its undeniable that consumption of news is and will continue to drastically change. Print media has definitely taken a turn towards worse (journal sentinel for example). I'd agree with Clark, the suggestion of journalists opting for self employment seems pretty rational and reasonable.
What role do you see yourself playing in the 5th estate?
i mean its essentially up to the public (me) to decide what is worthwhile and what isn't. Just because anyone can blog doesn't mean every who blogs is talented and worthwhile. Even esteemed print journalists at one point in time had to be deemed excellent journalists. Blogging is merely an evolution of that.
Does the idea of a fifth estate seem like a productive one for society or not?
Like i addressed in the previous response i think its a necessary evolution, we're just at a point where we have to filter out the crap. Like all evolutionary processes throughout history filtering out the BS can be arduous and very frustrating, but the end product rarely results in us being set further back then where we started.
Trying to explain away the situation that we see emerging in the world of journalism, Roy Clark labels it, compares it to completely unrelated fields, and assumes that that is ample justification. However, Clark may not realize how appropriate his medical analogy truly is. As the power is put more and more in the consumer’s hands, the whole industry is crumbling around them. It has been well established that the medical field needs a complete overhaul, thus showing that an informed public is not enough to uphold a system with a financial and organizational crisis. But, it is at this overhaul that the parallel ends because as the government has taken the medical system into their hands, the government’s watchdog can clearly not be controlled by the government itself.
ReplyDeleteStill, I cannot deny that the field of journalism is changing and that the general public is going to take an increasingly hands on approach to disseminating news. I do agree that amateur journalist’s “interest, participation, knowledge and resources make them part of an audience that supports and enhances the work of professionals.” At the end of the day, though, there will still be a demand for a news source whose journalists hold some responsibility for what they publish, an institution to uphold, and have a network of editors and fact-checkers that insure the information’s validity.
As far as my role in the future of the “Fifth Estate,” I will continue to monitor its progression and strive to support those organization which I see as providing me with an accurate source of news. It is also possible that I will be involved in providing others with news, though I am not sure in what form I would like to work. I am not very interested in blogging, but local print news and radio does appeal to me. Basically, I will be looking to remain involved in the field of journalism as I feel that it is a vital part of our society and bears responsibility for much of what happens in a society. If the so-called “Fifth Estate” does ultimately find a way to provide higher quality news stories, I will certainly support that emerging position in anyway possible. Otherwise, I will do what I can to improve, shape, and criticize it as necessary.
To me his description seems pretty logical. Although instead of it being a new "estate," I feel that it more likely should be considered as a part of the journalism type estate, either a sub-group or counter-group, depending on the evolution and direction it takes. What seems illogical to me is that he sees it as a fifth "estate." It is not a class of it's own. His recognition that it is something emerging, whatever it may turn out to be is good, especially since it is emerging very strongly and quite rapidly.
ReplyDeleteTheoretically, I see my personal role in Roy Clark's "5th estate" taking one of two courses of action. The first would require me to get pretty intense into the world of blogging, vlogging, or anything else of this neo-journalistic trend. If I were to start any of this, my role would most likely help to advance this body depending on how much was put into it. The other path I could theoretically take would have relatively no impact, as I would likely stay out of it, except for basic elements such as facebook.
Another idea on my take of this would instead of me personally, be more of me as being my generation or something of that nature. In this train of thought, I see the group advancing the productivity and output of different aspects of the new body. For the most part, my age group within a range of ten years either way.
The direction this new body will take, I feel is totally up in the air. Some possible pathways I could see it taking would either have the group becoming a watchdog type for professional news, a check for the news, some type of feed for professional news, or a take over for professional news. The first, it being a watchdog would just see the group making sure to keep all matters seen by the press and revealing what was missed, but without undermining the integrity of the professionals. The check option would see current and new journalism on a similar page, were they would both have similar amounts of power. Professional news would still remain dominant, but it would almost be like they were competing. The third option would have the best of the group just feeding into the professional system. The fourth option would just be a takeover of professional journalism. One possible system would be writers creating works, getting a small fee to give their works to editors, who would put together a package. After that, they would sell it to distributors, who would publish it.
Does his description of the situation sound logical to you?
ReplyDeleteIt does sound very logical to me. Every citizen in a society plays an important role. Whether you’re at the top or at the bottom, you are still vital in defining a society. Even with our Journalism class, we are demonstrating the fifth estate. We are conducting amateur interviews, filming amateur footage, and writing amateur stories. When and if we continue to do these things for many years, and get a paying job for doing them, we are not professionals, and their material will be superior. Most people, if they are interested in something, will pursue that something, and continue doing it as long as the interest lasts.
What role do you see yourself playing in this "Fifth Estate"?
I see myself playing the most important role of the Fifth Estate, as Poynter explained in the article; the average day, typical citizen. I go through life everyday with admiration for the people who are professionals and imitate them, to make them look good at what they do. I also watch other people do the same thing as I do. We are all part of this process.
Does the idea of a fifth estate seem like a productive one for society or not? Explain.
Productive? No. I don’t see it as a productivity, but more as just a way of life; the way things work. Either way, I believe that certain professional journalism (ie. Newspapers) will die off. Not necessarily “print journalism” however, because I believe that the torch will be handed down to us; the average day, typical citizen who captures spur of the moment footage. So I’m not too sure what it means to ask if this is ‘productive’ or not, but the Fifth Estate will always live on as long as there are superior persons doing an activity such as journalism.
The description does sound logical because in all professions there are amateurs who are used instead of professionally trained workers for a job. It has occurred in many professional fields and it only makes sense that journalism is the next to be flooded by amateur news personal. This is especially true with the rise of technology and the increase in portability of the new technology which allows any number of people to move a camera around and be able to capture footage of an event. Also the widespread availability of technology and the access of communication from any possible location would only indicate that there doesn’t need to be a big area needed to assemble the footage, you can do it in the park or while you’re eating lunch. Amateur news reporters are coming and you can thank the age of technology that we’re experiencing right now.
ReplyDeleteI personally see myself playing a very limited role. My job probably won’t involve very much reporting since I don’t see myself as a journalist and in my spare time I don’t really feel like going out into the world and looking for things to put on my Internet blog. I am not very interested in blogging, I may do it one day when I am really bored, but save for that, I feel like I shall be a very small part of the 5th estate and the amateur news reporters. It’s just not my thing. I don’t have as much passion for it and it is best left to the people who really love it and strive to make their reporting really solid and interesting to the public. That’s who will make the 5th estate so interesting.
It is a very productive one for society. A major news source cannot cover all the stories in the world. So it fall to the smaller groups like bloggers and online reporters to go out and find the smaller stories that won’t end up on the news and put them in their blog. It’s sheer logistics, a news crew can’t be everywhere at once, so it is the responsibility of the smaller news organizations to put forth their view of the story. And if the story is reported by a news crew we can get the take of a member of the fifth estate who was there right when this happened and they might be an eyewitness rather than a news crew that gets there 25 minutes later. It is good for news and should be a healthy evolution for journalism into the age of new technology.
Does the description of the situation sound logical to you?
ReplyDeleteI had trouble understanding some of this article but I believe that I got the main idea of it. I think that when he said that some people believe the fourth estate is “necessary but insufficient for democratic life”, I can sort of agree. I say this because all though I am a very big fan of the press, I believe that this too specific and can be more broad because it just doesn’t cover everything that journalism is to all of us these days. But the thing about this fifth estate that makes me uneasy is that it might make people totally forget about the fourth estate, which is still very much important in my life and I’m sure it’s important in many others as well.
What role do you see yourself playing in the fifth estate?
To be completely honest I can’t see myself playing a huge role in this estate. My reason for saying this is fairly simple. After reading the bullet pointed list of people this fifth estate might affect, I sort of turned away from this idea. I didn’t even have to read half of the list before I decided that I didn’t like the types of people it could compromise. Some of the people that were included were authors and people who were former journalists and others and the bottom line is that I wouldn’t like to see anything have a negative affect on these people because they play a big part in mine and I’m sure many others lives. Books are a big part of my life and I plan on majoring in English/writing in college. So if this new estate compromises the people that write those books that I read or possibly me in the future then I’m not a big fan and I can’t see myself playing a big role in this estate.
Does the idea of this estate seem like a productive one for society or not?
I think that if everybody worked with this fifth estate like what Clark was talking about in his article then this would be good for society. However I do believe that if this fifth estate does compromise the people that Clark believes it would, then it wouldn’t be as good for society because our society is good with those people included in his list. So I think it is not productive for society because our society functions fine as it is with our current estate.