Fetishization of facts

Posted by Bob on August 12, 2003

In Reply to: Fetishization of facts posted by R. Berg on August 12, 2003

: : : Hi,

: : : I don't quite understand the bracketd phrase. Could anyone do me a favor.

: : : The androcentric imperatives of journalism are discernible not only in definitions of newsworthiness, they argue, but also in the ruthless competition to be first with the news, an over-reliance on male sources, and [a fetishization of facts for their own sake (typically presented outside of their social, and therefore, gendered context)].

: : : Thanks a lot.

: : Worshiping or fixating on facts for facts' sake without regard to whether the facts add to understanding of an issue.

: : I am not sure what that means.

: How about this: A nerdlike elevation of facts ("hard data") to a position of great importance without considering the human element, which is dismissed as "girl stuff."

Too clear and straightforward.
By the way, my sister-in-law was in "thesis defense" reading to a committee of scholars. One asked her why she didn't "include more theory," to which she replied that she "would feel like a phony muddying up the language like that." A dead silence fell over the room. Happy ending - she got the Ph.D. anyway.