When I was a new reporter, I was terrified of making a mistake.
So when someone would call the newsroom and say “there is a mistake in your story,” my stomach would clench and I would ask, voice trembling: “What is it?”
That’s when I discovered a category of error that I dubbed “errors of opinion” — someone had taken offence to the views expressed by an individual quoted in the story.
I would politely explain that the person quoted was entitled to their opinion, and it was our job to express different sides to the story. This seldom worked.
In recent months, I have noticed how toxic some of the submissions can be to our “Report a Typo or Mistake from Victoria Times Colonist” link.
Often, the writer disagrees with someone quoted in the story. Sometimes they just want to express their own views on the topic. A few are writing about an actual typo. Those submissions are usually to the point, as in, “are you aware that you …”
We like it when you point out errors, but not the rude little comments often added as a parting shot.
A sample: Writer complaining about an opinion piece she didn’t like: “The problem with the Times Colonist is that you give air to this stupidity. What a rag this newspaper is.”
Unnamed writer angry because we refer to the “B.C. Parliament Buildings” as the legislature: “Oh, and, of course there will be absolutely no effort to make the correction, because you’ve been informed of the error numerous times over the years, and nothing’s changed. Idiots.”
Name-calling is typical for many. Unnamed writer, complaining about a column that accidentally omitted the name of the writer online: “You goofs never actually say whose opinion this is.”
Nor is the vitriol confined to anonymous submissions. It’s a small taste of the kind of behaviour health-care workers and airline staff are increasingly enduring in person right now, working in environments where people are often stressed to the max. Have you noticed the proliferating “Our staff won’t tolerate abusive language” signs?
Leslie Dias, director of airlines at Unifor, which represents 5,600 customer service and sales agents at Air Canada, said in a recent Canadian Press story that police officers were being called to airport gates daily because of verbal harassment from travellers.
The president of the union representing 4,000 WestJet flight attendants also cited increased reports of harassment and both physical and verbal abuse as a result of frustration with long security queues, missed connecting flights, misplaced luggage and hours on tarmacs.
I understand we’re all frustrated with a lot of things right now — the pandemic, air delays, passport lineups, emergency-room waits — but don’t forget that everyone you are dealing with is a bona-fide human (yes, even those of us who work in the “lamestream media” and read your typo submissions, believe it or not — actual humans, every one).
And like most humans, we really don’t like being called goofs and idiots. Whether we like it or not may be of no consequence to you, but honestly, has name-calling ever been a helpful strategy in terms of getting what you want in life? Do you find it makes people eager to help you, to advocate for your cause, to strive to do better?
Back in the “Typos and mistakes” department, if you really want to get our attention, use humour.
When, on July 16, we accidentally dated the letters to the editor July 26 on our website, we got some funny submissions:
“Journalistic triumph. T-C introduces time travel. Today’s letter page shown as July 26. Letter writers confused as they hadn’t yet written those letters.”
And this one: “It is definitely not the 26th, unless I’ve outdone myself sleeping in.”
There is no value in ticking off the people you want to persuade. Seriously. Just think about how you’d feel if someone called you a goof or an idiot, and the publication you put time, energy and effort into a “rag.”
And in case you’re inclined to call me a whiner who needs to grow a thicker skin, just go back to the paragraph before this one. Be nice to people and they’ll probably be nice back.
It’s kind of a no-brainer — no?
