My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
“I don't believe people should write about other people until they have been written about themselves”
What It Means
You can't understand how it feels to be the subject of critical reporting until you experience it yourself
Why It Matters
Develops empathy and restraint in journalists, preventing unnecessarily cruel or unfair reporting
When It's True
When writing about people's personal lives, failures, or controversies that could hurt them
When It's Risky
Could prevent necessary investigative reporting of powerful bad actors who deserve scrutiny
How to Apply
Before publishing critical stories, consider how you'd feel if the roles were reversed
Distinguish between necessary public interest and gratuitous personal attacks
Develop empathy for your subjects while maintaining editorial integrity
Example Scenario
“A journalist writing about a tech founder's business failures considers how they would feel if their own career setbacks were dissected in public, leading them to focus on business decisions rather than personal embarrassment.”
Related Knowledge
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