Just a quick post, more to jot down a thought that rapidly entered my head and now threatens to depart as swiftly as it arrived.
Bafflingly controversial climate economist Bjorn Lomborg – who made waves here in WA for his proposed and later scrapped climate consensus centre at the University of Western Australia – has written a very good article on climate change for The Australian.
If you’ve clicked on the link to take a look for yourself, be warned – you won’t be able to read it unless you have a digital subscription for the newspaper.
This is a shame, because with the current model, the only people who are either likely or able to read this article are those that already have a subscription – which means they are (most likely) already receptive to the ideas that contributors to The Australian tend to espouse.
Example: I went to link this article to a friend of mine who might have found it to be an intriguing read, but I quickly realised he can’t because he doesn’t have a subscription. Is he likely to purchase a scubscription? Hardly – it’s expensive; there are alternative reputable news sites for free (i.e. The Guardian); and his own views are less than harmonious with those typically associated with The Australian.
Which makes it more important, in my opinion, that he be exposed to these views – but the problem remains.
The result is further entrenchment, particularly for those of a younger and more frugal generation, within so-called ‘echo chambers’, where ideas tend to resonate and reinforce each other with limited exposure to ideas that sound different.
I do not begrudge The Australian its right to insist on recompense for its valiant journalistic efforts. Indeed, the lack of incentive to pay for quality journalism is partially responsible for its decline, which is an alarming trend. But one need only briefly peruse the comments section of The Australian on virtually any article to see that those commenting are creating their own ‘echo chambers’ with every post.
If we truly want to tackle the growing divisiveness and identity politics that threatens to corrode our civilisation, opposing sides of the political spectrum need to reach out to each other. It’s little wonder that articles from The Independent and Buzzfeed gain more traction on social media than subscription-only sites – its free.
Maybe The Australian has valid counterpoints. But those without a subscription won’t know.
TJDempsey 