Does One Plus One Add Up to Nothing?

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/09/opinion/mainstream-media-credibility-objectivity-journalism.html

("How to Destroy (What's Left of)Mainstream Media’s Credibility")

Mr. Stephens would suggest that good journalism is merely presenting the facts and leaving it to the readers to reach their own conclusion. To take shaping of opinion out of of the writer's hands.

And if those who take in the information make a determination that one plus one equals three, or that all of Donald Trump's more than 30,000 lies while in office add up to "who cares", well so be it. The journalist, he would suggest, is not teacher and the reader not taking a pass-fail exam.

Nonsense.

The New York Times spends far too much effort already in trying to be what Fox News once pretended it was, namely "fair and balanced." Allowing voice to those like Mr. Stephens who  often take facts and pretzel them into unrecognizable form so to accommodate his desired answer to the conundrum before him. 

But to do what Mr. Stephens suggest would be to neuter journalism, to render it of no import, to cut out the beating heart of the New York Times. 

Thus, if we have to take to put up with those like Bret Stephens so we can be often treated to those with clear eyed, intelligent answers to the most difficult dilemma, then that is a price gladly paid. 

Otherwise, the solution to one plus one is nothing.