Angry New Yorker

Semi-Daily Rants from New York City's Angry Man

"As I know more of mankind I expect less of them, and am ready now to call a man a good man, upon easier terms than I was formerly." - Dr. Samuel Johnson, Boswell, Life of Johnson, Sept. 1783

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Wednesday, June 02, 2004
 
Unemployed Man Hit By Bus
There's either an interesting, though sad, trend underway, or I've only just noticed the ongoing practice, but what's with the New York media's practice of identifying everyone by their occupation? For example, today's New York Times [see here] and NY1.com [see here] are both highlighting a story about Monica Meadows, who was shot in the subway the other day. The Times headline reads, "Model Shot in Subway by Unknown Assailant Who Flees", while NY1.com's headline reads "Aspiring Model/Actress Shot On Subway In Midtown." Other papers and outlets' headlines are similar. I started noticing this practice after the tragic murder of Sarah Fox in Inwood Hill Park. Every description led with "Juilliard student". In searching the New York Times' archive I've discovered the practice is very common: "Stunned Japan Agonizes Over Schoolgirl Stabbing," "Fairfield University Senior Is Killed by a Bus," etc. You get the idea.

Although the mantra drilled into school kids everywhere is "you can become whatever you want to become," a nice, but patently false aspiration, it appears reality is more mundane. Namely, that when you die, or the media turns its staring eye upon you, the headline will simply note your occupation or affiliation at the moment. Everything else about you will be discarded.

posted by anonymous at 11:33 AM

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