Friday, January 27, 2012

The Editors Two

Nature alone can make a man judicious, experience can make a judicious man wise.

Immanuel Kant
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Hello Indigo
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My country has been one that tried, through the years, to encourage virtue, valor and excellence, and to have them rewarded. The United States is not the only country in the world where those ideals and goals are to be found, for sure. But I have come to believe that, as with many other activities of our lives, there is a characteristically American way of doing things in the pursuit of those values. We simply don't do things the way other peoples do them. And that may be one of the reasons why we have some difficulty understanding folks from other lands and why they have trouble understanding us.

Many years ago I listened to a speech given by the Managing Editor of The New York Times. During the speech he talked about a meeting he had with the Managing Editor of The London Times, of London, England. They were two of the most important men of two of the most important newspapers of the world. They were having lunch.

The Editor of The London Times described his career. He was born into the right upper middle class family. He went to the best schools. Then on to Cambridge University where he achieved a graduate degree in journalism. His entry level at the Times was a desk job with some minor production responsibility. But he gradually worked his way up to eventually become the Managing Editor, the kind of position his birth and education assured him he was destined for.

Then The New York Times Editor told the story of his life. He was born into a lower class Jewish family in New York City, educated in the public schools and eventually at City College of New York, where he went on to get a degree in journalism. His entry level job at the NY Times was running copy around, cleaning out news bins and occasional proof reading. But he gradually worked his way through all the departments, gaining experience of how the newspaper was run and learning what his contributions could be. He took on some minor and then major writing assignments. And then one day he emerged as the Managing Editor.

Their backgrounds could hardly have been different: the wealthy boy from England and the poor boy from New York. And yet there they were Managing Editors of two International Newspapers.

When the Englishman heard the New Yorker's story he said "Only in America."

DB - Vagabond Journeys
Never Give Up
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This invitation is still open for anyone and everyone to post an entry of their own on my journal, Vagabond Journeys http://vagabondjourneys.blogspot.com/.

A new year is upon us and since it is a time for celebrations, remembrances, resolutions and plans for the future I think people have things to say.

Not to take away from the postings on your own journals, but to add to the joy of my own is why I invite you to write for me.

I want to read what your thoughts are about this magical time of the year. This invitation is open to everyone: Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Pagans, Agnostics, Atheists and the Uncertain or the Confused. Tell me your thoughts on any subject you wish.

There are no limits in regard to length. The only limitation is that, for reasons so far unexplained to me, my blog does not take photographs, animations, videos or pictures of any kind. I deal in words.

Please accept my invitation. Send your entry to my email address dbdacoba@aol.com I will copy and paste it into my journal and it will be displayed promptly. You may sign your name or not as you wish, and you may leave a link to your blog or your email or not, as you wish. I will do NO editing or censoring. Eloquence is not necessary, mind or heart or both is all.

I have 13 Guest Authors so far. Check them out.
All are welcome. Admission is free.

DB - The Vagabond
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3 comments:

pacifica62 said...

I don't think that this happens "only in America". The most successful people have worked very hard to overcome obstacles and this happens throughout the world and against tremendous odds. Determination, focus and a hunger to succeed motivate many people to make a better life for themselves no matter where they live.

Geo. said...

Maybe the American custom of reinventing itself periodically is why we quit spelling with superfluous vowels --as do British periodicals.

Ken Riches said...

Yes only in America, the potential is unlimited.