Monday, September 10, 2007

Cancelling The Times

I canceled The New York Times this morning. I only took the paper on Sundays, and had suspended it for the summer. After receiving yesterday's edition I realized that I had not missed it at all. For a long time I've had no desire to support the paper's editorial mission -- seeing the physical paper back on my property reminded me to drop it. I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't do this earlier, but feel unburdened to have finally pulled the plug.

When the customer service representative asked me why I was canceling I told him that I could no longer overlook the paper's rabid anti-American sentiments, nor its support for defeat in Iraq nor its hatred of the president that has infected every section of the paper. He offered me 16 weeks at 50% off, free online subscription etc. etc.. It was a values call. While the writing and editing of the paper is far tighter, and the basic qualities of its articles superior to any that appear in the local Boston papers, I can no longer provide a monthly stipend to support the publication of information with which I fundamentally disagree and which I think is detrimental to this country.

3 comments:

Steve DiMattia said...

The CSR's response to your rant is classic, so thoughtless and hysterical. "I can't read your rabid, irrationally defeatist, America-hating, Godless crap anymore!" he says. "But I'll throw in a free toaster..." she responds, winking. You should have taken the deal, and be ironically in union with the mindless rabble who wallow in it every day without thinking about what any of it means.

Agricola said...

Thanks for your comment. I appreciate it. I actually didn't rant at the CSR, I remained calm and unemotional -- honestly. I didn't want to adopt the hysterical tone of my opponents. Thanks again for reading and contributing to the dialogue.

insufficient said...

At least there's the Metro.

;)

Good for you Agricola.