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The Greeks were on to something


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If I know anything about writing columns, it’s that you start with a personal anecdote to prove a point or demonstrate knowledge.

We’ll start five years ago as a freshman at the University of North Florida in lieu of actual life experiences. I was originally a nutrition major because I thought it was interesting. Throughout high school, my aim was to breeze through a four-year nutrition college track, sit back, tell people to eat healthier and collect $50,000 a year.

Then I had to give a 15-minute speech about apples. Specifically, the vaunted Golden Delicious. How many apples can you name off the top of your head? My speech hit nine minutes and I got a C. I had to do something else – sometimes you just know.

I enjoyed storytelling – nonfiction and fiction – but it was never packaged as a viable career by parents or advisors. I was drawn to community journalism quickly and I can say I made the right choice.

I interned at Clay Today when I attended the UNF in spring 2017. I’ve spent the past 11 months with the Palatka Daily News covering the best and brightest in Putnam County after I graduated last August. I wrote extensively for the UNF Spinnaker. I also interned for First Coast News and News4Jax and received tens of dollars writing for Jacksonville magazines.

A little about me: I’m from a military family and lived in exotic lands such as Mildenhall, England, Rio Rancho, N.M. and Florida’s panhandle. I can listen to the Talking Heads the same way I listen to Creed and I like a lot of really really bad Shaw Brothers 1970s Kung Fu movies. I also prefer chunky peanut butter to creamy; I know some people are willing to go to war over that kind of thing.

A former colleague of mine opened a similar one of these introductory columns with an interesting note: “I suppose, though I am only 23, that I’ve had a more interesting life than most. I think of that Thoreau saying – “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation” – and I am thankful that mine has not been a quiet one.”

Nope. Pretentious mid-19th century transcendentalist name drop aside, the following doesn’t apply to me. It’s been pretty quiet. Palatka had its typical tense crime scenes, raucous meetings, embattled officials and moving features. There isn’t the buzz Clay County has, though I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Putnam and learned so much.

Clay County is not quiet, particularly the growth and the politics. It’s a solid next step and I look forward to covering it. Feel to give me a call at XXXXXX or email me story ideas at nick@opcfla.com.

I’ll leave on this note, Greek philosophers were smart guys, other than the whole geocentrism thing. They said all persuasive arguments (and subsequent reactions) come from three places: Logos, Ethos and Pathos. Logos is basically logic, Ethos is an argument based on reputation and Pathos is an argument from emotion. Forming opinions can be misleading and potentially dangerous when based on a person’s or corporation’s sterling reputation or devoid of fact, ask Joe Paterno or the Salem witches. Local and national media is largely under fire for its coverage. Any story can be disputed, but it’s important to check emotion and reputations at the door when analyzing a news story.

The Greeks were on to something, no?