I've posted before about my disbelief of the naivety throughout the blogosphere about the way the Sunday Times treated this woman. For the record, I think it was despicable.
There is something inherent in the human character that manifests itself as a need for recognition. There was a very funny TV series a year or so ago, where this bloke would introduce himself in social situations as a Company Director - that mattered to him more than "I'm a likeable fun caring bloke". With many bloggers, the desire is for media recognition.
What worries me, even as people condemn the tactics of Nicholas Hellen, or indeed as they comment on the hounding of Kate Middleton, is some belief that this behaviour is novel or unusual, and still bloggers in general seem keen to have the media exposure which is oxygen for the compulsive writer.
There are very few scruples in journalism. The venal are those that prat on, confusing an expensive advertising campaign with a popular buzz 'everyone's talking about it'; less forgiveable are those that participate in the advertising campaign implying their words to be original and inspired without declaring what inducements in money or goody bags they have received in order to promote the product/TV programme, whatever.
The worst are those that use blackmail and bullying to achieve their ends, and disguise it as journalism.
But, in the end, they exist solely to sell newspapers, and nothing sells newspapers more than the intrusion into people's privacy, whether it's Abby Lee, Kate Middleton or some poor sap whose had something devastating happen to them and finds their extra-marital affair, age-old conviction for petty crime, or embarrassing health secrets splashed across the newspapers. I daresay there are honourable journalists - indeed I know there are in the specialist Press - but I do wonder what it means when intelligent, educated, mature, thoughtful, insightful and analytical adults are surprised at the snake-like media, when it's nothing new and has been happening as long as I can remember and, I daresay, much longer.
