One fool throws a stone into a well...

I was very surprised to see myself as the subject of a news report on the education page of a newspaper that I follow closely and whose commitment to professional ethics I am certain of. An old photo taken years ago, pulled from the internet, accompanied by statements that were not mine and claims that had absolutely no relation to reality. 

I was shocked when I saw the report, but at the same time, I started laughing to myself, thinking that even this could happen. I called the newspaper's editor-in-chief and made an ironic comment, saying that at least they could have avoided using my overweight photo. After all, I have worked so hard for years to lose weight, but our press doesn't care. It was a joke, of course. I shared with him my thoughts on how surprised I was by this situation and that it shouldn't have gone this far. After all, I am also somewhat close to the journalism profession. I received serious journalism training in my time, and I have been training journalists for years. I must admit, I was also a bit annoyed, thinking about what we teach in classrooms versus what the journalists we train are doing. 

Anyway, the matter was resolved amicably. I think the opposite wouldn't have been possible anyway. But in the meantime, the story attracted so much attention that many internet pages didn't neglect to publish it immediately. As if the country had no other agenda, our story, which had nothing to do with reality, created great excitement in the media, and our journalists raced to avoid missing this important news. But none of them even felt the need to reach the source of the story to verify the accuracy of the information. 

I am trying to understand the state of mind our media is in, but at the same time, I cannot help but think. Journalism is a profession that requires great responsibility. The raw material of a journalist is information. To do the job correctly, one must first reach accurate, necessary, valid, and useful information. It is like the difference between synthetic food and organic food. While the taste we get from consuming synthetic food might give us pleasure at first, we may face serious illnesses after a while due to the chemicals we load into our bodies, or we may even be poisoned. The dissemination of real and fake news or information is something like that. A story given with a striking headline might attract the reader's attention at first and create excitement in society, but when it is understood that it does not reflect the truth, the result can be a disappointment for the one who reported it. 

Journalism is a difficult profession; it requires great responsibility. Especially in today's information age, practicing journalism has become much harder. There are too many information flow channels. There is a constant and multi-faceted flow of information from society to journalists, especially through social media. If managed well and correctly, this situation can provide great opportunities for journalism. However, if not managed correctly and carefully, it can lead to major problems. Therefore, today presents both significant opportunities and serious risks for journalism. It is precisely at this point that a journalist needs to be much more careful, much more questioning, and much more investigative than before. In an era where information sources have become this complicated, a journalist's job is not easy at all. 

On the other hand, during periods of social tension and chaos, our attitudes, behaviors, and thoughts can fall under the influence of our emotions. In times when emotions like panic, excitement, and anxiety rise, reason and logic can remain somewhat passive. It is normal for such situations to occur in terms of mass and social psychology. However, a journalist needs to be very careful precisely in such situations. While observing what is happening in society, a journalist must also convey accurate information to society. Moreover, they must do this with a cool head. Not only journalists, but everyone involved in the business of producing and conveying information must not lose their common sense in such situations. 

Acting with common sense and staying within the bounds of reason does not mean that a journalist, or an intellectual in general, should keep themselves away from social processes. But everyone involved in the business of thought and information, especially during periods and situations where social mobility gains momentum, needs to be much more cool-headed, sensible, and rational than they normally are. In this sense, the responsibility of the journalist, who is constantly intertwined with society, is much more serious and important.