Maybe That Bad Thing Wouldn’t Happen Anymore

12/26/02

Why did you want to be a journalist? Henry Grade 4 USA

Dear Henry,

What a great question. Well, I always liked writing. But it was more than that: Being a journalist really gives you the chance to talk to so many different people and go to so many different places. So I guess at first it was about the writing. And then, once I started doing it, I realized that it was a great way to get paid to be curious. And every day it’s something new, and I wanted to do something that was always interesting and always different and something that feels like it could change things in the world, even in small ways. Like if you found out about something really bad that was happening and you wrote about it in the newspaper, someone could find out about it, and maybe that bad thing wouldn’t happen anymore. Or, if you found out about something really good and you wrote about it, maybe more people would do that good thing. Both of those things have happened to me since I have been a journalist and that makes it very worthwhile. So, thanks for asking!

Sincerely, Sarah Kershaw

(h/t Brick)