海角大神

For as long as I鈥檝e been at the Monitor, we鈥檝e preferred not to mention people鈥檚 ages unless it鈥檚 essential. Age tends to define people, often poorly.聽Today鈥檚 story by Laurent Belsie beautifully explores this topic.聽聽

Recently, I鈥檝e seen commendable efforts by journalists to broaden this principle. Convict, addict, illegal immigrant 鈥� these terms and others, like age, tend to remove humanity, agency, and nuance. To me, looking for better ways to talk about our fellow human beings is not about a political agenda, but about good journalism.

Perhaps more than ever, societies are learning that labeling people is unhelpful, not only to the person but also to our own understanding. Laurent鈥檚 story clearly shows why.聽 聽 聽