“My son doesn’t know what he wants to do”, a slightly concerned mother told me this week. She’s been taking him to one university open day after another. She wondered if studying journalism might be a good fit for him. I asked her if he’s interested in the news. Does he want to know what’s going on in the world? Is he curious?
We always tell our students that, as a journalist, you need to know what’s happening in the world. Not in exhaustive detail, of course, but you can’t just stare blankly if an interviewee starts talking about the upcoming elections in Germany, or about world leaders meeting in Munich last week. The person sitting opposite you needs to trust that you understand what they’re talking about.
I’ve followed the news closely for years – out of interest, but also because it’s part of my job, as it is for many others. How else can you do your work properly? A faculty or university council member, for example, needs to know what’s happening within their institution. Likewise, university administrators must stay informed about national developments, especially in education.
Donald Trump
That said, for the first time in my professional life, I find myself wanting to change the channel or put down the newspaper when faced with yet another item on one of Donald Trump’s countless executive orders, whether on Ukraine, Gaza, Europe, Mexico or US science, like the article in De Volkskrant last weekend. It weighs on me and makes me feel unsettled. But while it may be tempting to bury your head in the sand for a while, ultimately, that’s not an option.
News avoiders
The topic also came up in our Monday morning meeting – no news avoiders here. My colleague CF has become a bit more selective, though; she doesn’t give all of Trump’s whims her full attention. Instead, she prefers to wait a day or two for the analyses to come in and explain their potential impact. Editor DV, who took a one-day break from the news over the weekend before diving back in, tends to approach the constant stream of updates with detached curiosity. “What’s happening in the world right now is historic”, he said, to nods of agreement.
No interest
Now, on to this week’s edition of Observant. We’ve decided to explore the latest US developments from the perspective of Maastricht University, speaking to academic staff who work together with colleagues in the US. Can they continue to do so, or are Trump’s executive orders getting in the way?
As for the mother’s son, he has no interest in the news. Probably best for him to pick a different degree, then.