Not Everyone is Supposed to be Journalist: Tuesday May 21, 2024

By Aubrey Eytchison from Union University

“Not everyone is supposed to be a journalist,” Les Sillars says. An uncomfortable hush falls over the class. We glance at one another as if we are looking for the person who is not supposed to be here.

For the last five days, the WJI class has been learning how to be good journalists. We have had extensive training on how to conduct interviews, what to look for in a story and how to structure it. We were tossed into the deep end, conducting street-level interviews at the Orange City Tulip Festival. We have participated in editing pods, workshops and lectures.

We’ve thought about the how, but had none of us stopped to think about whether we should be journalists? I certainly had not expected to have an existential crisis when I walked into Sillars’ lecture on biblical objectivity this morning.

A hand creeps up.

“What type of person is not supposed to be a journalist?” the student asks.

Sillars smiles, his eyes disappearing for a moment.

“Someone who does not want to be a journalist,” he says. “Someone who is not naturally curious. Someone who doesn't spend his life looking outward.”

The crowd exhales in relief, but I have more questions. How do you know that you are naturally curious? Do I look outward enough? How do I know that I want to be a journalist?

I’m not sure. But if I keep asking questions, I am sure I will find out eventually.