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Be honest, did anyone read the entire article? I don't like this trend of writing incredibly long articles. It's as if the length alone somehow makes it more i
by _mulder_ 13y ago
Be honest, did anyone read the entire article?
I don't like this trend of writing incredibly long articles. It's as if the length alone somehow makes it more intellectual or credible, or perhaps just makes the author look good.
An approx calculation, assuming reading speed of 250wpm, means a 12,000+ word article, like this, will take nearly 1 hour to read.
- maxerickson 13y agoLong form journalism is not some new trend. I'm not deeply interested in the water situation in California, so I probably won't read this, but I don't see a problem with someone bothering to do a detailed story on it.
- _mulder_ 13y agoPersonally, I was quite interested in it, I spent 10 minutes reading it before I realised how long the article was. Clearly others are interested too, as it's on HN. But who actually read it all the way through? Did you?
- maxerickson 13y agoI didn't read it. Like I said, I'm not that interested in the situation (I'm not near the U.S. West coast...). But I think you are wrong about the length being a matter of ego stroking. There are legitimate reasons to dive into the details, and given that the Atlantic is relatively internet savvy, there are probably people interested in the content.
- quesera 13y agoI read the whole thing. It was interesting, but not linear, and definitely not dense. But it's The Atlantic, not a daily paper. It was more of a leisurely interesting-but-not-actionable, flavor-of-the-story, Sunday-paper-with-a-bagel read. I wouldn't even call it long-form journalism. It's just bits of history and human interest tied to a current issue with a sprinkling of character and anecdote. Gratifying, not edifying. That sort of thing has a place, but generally not what I'm looking for on a Wednesday morning. Did you know that Central Valley almond crop irrigation consumes water equal to 1/2 of a Los Angeles?
- pessimizer 13y agoAnd why would anybody spend an hour reading? Ugh.
- _mulder_ 13y agoI don't know about you, but here on Planet Earth I only have 24 hours in my day. I'm happy to spend 10-15 mins reading an original article on something I currently know nothing about, but not an hour dedicated to it. FYI, I am a heavy reader, hence why I'd sooner spend my time reading something I enjoy (like a book!).
- aboodman 13y agoIf you live in California, this issue is incredibly important to you and your children. Every resident should be familiar with it, and this article is a great introduction.
- fivethree 13y agoCongrats, you're a literal child! In turns out in-depth information takes time to properly explain and discuss. If you want a 10 minute summary that teaches you nothing, watch a TEDtalk. If you want to actually learn and understand an issue, read long form journalism.