Your reasoned commentary is better than my cheap joke when I see both of them together. Sorry!

I had an argument with a professional journalist about this a few years ago. Her claim was her responsibility was only to present all sides of the argument; I claimed that she should be trying to uncover the truth.

The whole idea that some things might actually be true or false was alien to her entirely. I couldn't even communicate to her what I meant.

Me, I feel that reprinting other people's claims uncritically is stenography, not journalism.

If you are ever in Amsterdam, drop by - we'll feed you and give you drinks, and you can meet our dogs, who are neither wingmen, watchdogs or haters, but indolent if very friendly lapdogs.