Dominic Cummings further revelations

[vetran]

You would struggle to find many experts who would think that the one article per decade scenario makes somebody a journalist.

Because, these questions are quite different:

"What is a journalist?"

and

"Am I a journalist?"

You cannot answer the latter by seeing if it fits the former. Unless of course you think that Transit vans are cars.

Because the dictionary and similar definitions use the simple present tense, e.g. someone who writes articles. The simple present tense implies what is habitual or typical.

Look at it this way:

Experts: A journalist is someone who writes newspaper articles.

Guy off street: I write a newspaper article every 10 years. (note use of simple present tense, but with time interval qualifier)

Expert A: "Then you're a journalist."
Expert B: "That's not often enough to make you a journalist"

Expert A and Expert B are both making defensible statements, but you cannot correctly say that one is definitively right and one is definitively wrong. They are each making a separate judgment as to whether you habitually write newspaper articles. It's a matter of opinion.

Your experts clearly aren't. The 'are' (current activity regardless of interval) and 'were' past tense are the key thing here. This happens in all pursuits.

e.g.
Old Smeg had a w1nk after he saw that van picture, next time he sees a naked ford body he will do it again = Old Smeg is a W1nker.

Old Smeg had a w1nk after he saw that van picture, however he has found god and has sworn off onanism= Old Smeg was a W1nker.

You have still engaged in w1nking that doesn't change.


More transit obsession? Have some scantily clothed pictures.

[Old Greg]

Your experts clearly aren't. The 'are' (current activity regardless of interval) and 'were' past tense are the key thing here. This happens in all pursuits.

e.g.
Old Smeg had a w1nk after he saw that van picture, next time he sees a naked ford body he will do it again = Old Smeg is a W1nker.

Old Smeg had a w1nk after he saw that van picture, however he has found god and has sworn off onanism= Old Smeg was a W1nker.

You have still engaged in w1nking that doesn't change.


More transit obsession? Have some scantily clothed pictures.

You honestly think that Expert B is objectively and indisputably wrong?

[vetran]

You honestly think that Expert B is objectively and indisputably wrong?

We are back to losing your cherry again. It only takes once to acquire the title.

You are talking about pursuing it as profession that is different as I explained above.

As above I am many things I do not define myself by one single skill, if I were a professional journalist and spent > 50% of my billable time doing that then that is how I would introduce myself. If I did one article of news for publication a year and I was interviewing for a journalists job guess what I would mention that.

I work in IT but also solve business issues regularly, solve infrastructure issues, deliver projects and write code.
I don't call myself a Business Analyst (I have been), IT Manager (ditto), PM(again) or developer (guess what).

I also wash up and clean the kitchen, I don't call myself a cleaner. though at that time I am a cleaner, I will probably clean the kitchen again so I am in part a cleaner.

[Old Greg]

We are back to losing your cherry again. It only takes once to acquire the title.

So do you believe that once you have published a single news article, you are a journalist forever?

[vetran]

So do you believe that once you have published a single news article, you are a journalist forever?

That is what the definition says. However I would expect to do it continuously as explained with the w1nker post.

You really are having difficulty with tenses aren't you?

[Old Greg]

That is what the definition says. However I would expect to do it continuously as explained with the w1nker post.

You really are having difficulty with tenses aren't you?

Was that a Yes? I think it was, but I want to be clear that you really do believe that once you have published a single news article, you are a journalist forever.

I'm pretty good with tenses, what with my Latin degree.

[vetran]

Was that a Yes? I think it was, but I want to be clear that you really do believe that once you have published a single news article, you are a journalist forever.

I'm pretty good with tenses, what with my Latin degree.

Now as repeatedly pointed out if you aren't continuing the activity you were a w1nker. As you are continuing the activity you remain a w1nker.

You would have been involved in journalistic activity for ever.

Please clean the transit van THOROUGHLY before the next user!

[Old Greg]

So do you believe that once you have published a single news article, you are a journalist forever?

Now as repeatedly pointed out if you aren't continuing the activity you were a w1nker. As you are continuing the activity you remain a w1nker.

You would have been involved in journalistic activity for ever.

Please clean the transit van THOROUGHLY before the next user!

Thanks for clarifying. I think you would find that most experts in journalism would disagree with you that a person who writes an article in a local newspaper once every decade is a journalist. I think you would struggle to find an expert who would say that this person in indisputably a journalist.

Do you think that the above is a likely outcome of such a scenario? If not, what do you think the likely outcome is?

[vetran]

Thanks for clarifying. I think you would find that most experts in journalism would disagree with you that a person who writes an article in a local newspaper once every decade is a journalist. I think you would struggle to find an expert who would say that this person in indisputably a journalist.

Do you think that the above is a likely outcome of such a scenario? If not, what do you think the likely outcome is?

You aren't getting it are you? Opinion is fine but rules are rules. If it fits then wear it.

If you rob one bank a decade are you still a bank robber?

[Old Greg]

You aren't getting it are you? Opinion is fine but rules are rules. If it fits then wear it.

If you rob one bank a decade are you still a bank robber?

You have to answer my question first.