Of Pessimism and...

On Wednesday, despite all the hassle and problems -- my daughther's birthday, finishing of this issue of VREME, the reception of Robert Gelbard in Belgrade -- I still committed to a previous engagement to hold a lecture for journalism students of the ANEM School of Journalism. As is often the case with young, curious people, they asked me about things of interest to them, after I tired them with my introductory speech. There were many questions, but two seem particularly appropriate to express what I'm feeling on Wednesday evening, about 20 hours after the entire editorial office pushed to get as much information as it could from Podgorica about intentions there. One question was very pesonal. A young lady, who obviously follows my writing closely, asked me why I am always a pessimist. I answered that I have a double personality. As a commentator and analyst I am a pessimist, but a s a human being I am an incorrigible optimist. Here's the absurdity: only optimists can be journalists. Therefore, Gentlement, if you're not optimists -- take up business. It is only in this area that it has been positively established that one must be a pessimist, both on a personal and an ontological level. The second question had broader implications and was worded, more or less, thus: should a journalist protect national interests. Under no circumstances, was my answer. National interests should be protected by the state, while journalists should work on citizens' rights to know as many facts as possible. Therefore, the point is this: how can I be an optimist in this text when deadlines for going into print are passing hopelessly by, and I don't know whether in Podgorica, beside stones, bullets will fly. As a human being I hope that they wont, but as a journalist I can under no circumstances exclude that possibility. O.K., for the sake of argument, I'll stick out my neck and say there wont be any shooting! If shooting occures, readers will say, what a fool. If I say, there will be shooting, and I miss, readers wont say anything becaues reliable information will be sufficient for them, and they will forgive me easily. Therefore, pessimists fair better in journalism, and when journalists appear crestfallen and gloomy -- they are merely cautious.