Reaction to Dewey

In many ways, I think Dewey’s philosophies can definitely relate to online journalism and how journalism in our society is transforming.

The article says that in Dewey’s earlier statements, he was an anti-elitist and argued that, “the capacity of the wise few to discern the public interest tends to be distorted by their positions.”

Personally, I think this may have been the case years ago and especially with print journalism. In order for you to get your voice heard, you had to be someone and the media, as it still does, has the power to pursue public interest. But with online journalism, the doors are open to everyone to have their own blog and their ideas are out there for the world to see, which hasn’t always been the case.

In his later work, which I think is very on target with online journalism, Dewey brings up the idea the democracy should be viewed as a form of “relationship that cuts across different spheres of social life and unifies them remains important.”

I think this is definitely the case for online journalism today. Blogging and other forms of online media create that relationship that can cut across typical barriers, including location, language, cultures and political views. I think this also goes with Dewey’s view on the “spectator theory.” Online journalism has changed everything and has allowed for the reader to become the writer, and the citizen journalist to emerge.