PressEthic

Ladies and gentlemen, we are wasting our time and money with grad school.

After all, if you want to learn to be a journalist, all you need to do is pick up the Learn to be a Journalist kit at Kmart.

Although it’s displayed in the picture, let me recap what’s included in the kit:

--A6 White Lockable Journal

--Mini Glitter Gel Pen

--10 Confetti Flowers

--5 Gemstones

--Sequins –Glue –Denim

--2 Bottles of 6ml/0.2oz Glitter Glue

--Idea Booklet

You’ll also note that “Denim” was an add-on.

Well, I can’t say I’ve never used a glitter gel pen (I keep about three pens in each of my purses; gel pens work their way into the rotation at times). The lockable journal could be a godsend if you have anonymous sources to protect. And who wouldn’t love an idea booklet?

Plus, don’t you love how they’re encouraging young women into the field? After all, if you want to encourage young girls to try something, confetti flowers are the way to go.

And the blogosphere is circling this like so many sharks. Gawker lets the picture speak for itself; it’s the commentary that gets me every time:

Jack Daniels, nicotine patches and AP Style Book not included. by Mick FNS on 11/03/05 01:48 PM

you can very clearly see where the makers had optimistically put "shield law" but then had to cover it up with "denim." by recordedvoice on 11/03/05 01:52 PM

In some parallel universe, this was a birthday gift to a young Hunter S. Thompson. by Nick Douglas on 11/03/05 02:01 PM

What I hate is getting glitter glue all over my keyboard on deadline.... by higgins on 11/03/05 04:03 PM

My press pass is covered with scratch-n-stiff stickers. by Carrigart on 11/03/05 06:26 PM

Of course, the idea isn’t new. Mr. Sun came up with a Citizen Journalist starter kit back in March of this year. His kit includes an “Anti Knee-Jerk Brace,” an “Advanced Investigative Guidebook/Field Manual” (with an image of Google for Dummies), an “Egg-Shaped Libel Prevention Device” (a timer that forces you to “make certain you really want to publish the questionable information”), a “Staff Uniform” (pajamas), and, of course, and “M2-2 High Heat Content Management System,” perfect for those flame wars.

Ok, I’m assuming the people who made the Kmart kit meant “journalist” to be analogous to “diarist,” so I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt on the glitter glue, although the gemstones are still pushing it. But honestly, the reactions to it, though funny, are revealing. Are journalists really being taken seriously? Is this what we look like to the average Kmart consumer?

And am I going to lose points on my most recent paper? After all, I didn’t use a single sequin.