Like you, I’m reading about people caught up in crime or scandal, and wonder how it happens. We all flirt with being less than honest sometimes, or settle for something outside our basic beliefs, and it just builds from there.
In college, I was assistant editor of the paper. A student athlete was arrested, and we debated how or whether to run the story. I agreed with our decision to run it, but was opposed to including a photo. Everyone on campus knew the student and a sports shot from earlier in the year would not add news value and would just be insulting to the student and the paper.
Then I remembered that I also was the photographer, and I would get paid if the photo ran. I didn’t push for the photo, but I stopped arguing against it, because I wanted the money. Three bucks. When the paper was published, I happened to be sitting behind another athlete. He of course knew the story, but cringed when he saw the front-page headline and picture. He turned to me and just shook his head.
I’m not saying you should never sell out – you already know that. I’m saying that if you do sell out, the shame is worth a lot more than $3.
» A Nine-Dollar Sell-Out from CoreCharacter
I’m watching The Family Man, a scene just after when Kate says to Jack that she will take the kids from schools they love and move from the only home they’ve known together just to be with him, because she... [Read More]
Tracked on: May 23, 2006 12:17 PM | Permalink to Trackback