--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The media are the equivalent of…" description: "\"“The media are the equivalent of yesterday's scientists, for today's scientists have seen that when they conduct an experiment they are part of it and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7b/doris-lessing-501_first-place_the-media-are-the-equivalent-of-yesterda_2131640.jpg" --- # The media are the equivalent of yesterday's scientists… ![“The media are the equivalent of yesterday's scientists, for today's scientists have seen that when they conduct an experiment they are part of it and influence results by their very being; the media can create a story, a scandal, an event, but behave as if they have nothing to do with it, as if…” quote by Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7b/doris-lessing-501_first-place_the-media-are-the-equivalent-of-yesterda_2131640.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7b/doris-lessing-501_first-place_the-media-are-the-equivalent-of-yesterda_2131640.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7b/doris-lessing-501_first-place_the-media-are-the-equivalent-of-yesterda_2131640.jpg) > ““The media are the equivalent of yesterday's scientists, for today's scientists have seen that when they conduct an experiment they are part of it and influence results by their very being; the media can create a story, a scandal, an event, but behave as if they have nothing to do with it, as if the event or the reputation were a spontaneous happening and they haven't influenced the result, or invented it all in the first place. 'The general interest in ... continues and is growing.' Of course it is, since the journalists are fanning the flames, permitting themselves fits of moral indignation, excitement, concern. Meanwhile the public marvel at them.”” [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that modern media act like scientists who, by participating, shape outcomes, yet they pretend to be neutral observers, creating narratives that influence public perception. **In simple terms:** Media claim neutrality but actually shape events. Key Takeaway Recognize media influence and question narratives. Themes media influence responsibility truth power dynamics Mood critical skeptical reflective Type analytical commentary When to use this quote - news reporting - political campaigns - social media trends - public relations crises Key Concepts observer effect construction of reality ethical journalism Questions to Reflect On - How does media participation alter truth? - What responsibilities do journalists have when shaping stories? A Different Perspective Media may unintentionally amplify bias despite claims of objectivity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Journalists Fanning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalists-fanning-4396068/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientists Seen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientists-seen-879034/) [Scientists Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientists-today-241271/) [Today Scientists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today-scientists-241270/) [Yesterday Scientists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yesterday-scientists-4396067/) ## Related quotes > [People who are scientists today are scientists in spite of the system, typically, not because of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/people-who-are-scientists-today-are-scientists-in-spite-of-the-system/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The scientists from Franklin to Morse were clear thinkers and did not produce erroneous theories. The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/the-scientists-from-franklin-to-morse-were-clear-thinkers-and-did-not/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [“With a swipe from his index finger a hologram of the Sun shot out and hovered over the console. Sophie studied the translucent image…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sansbury-smith/with-a-swipe-from-his-index-finger-a-hologram-of-the-sun-shot-out-and/) [Nicholas Sansbury Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sansbury-smith/) > [People find it very, very difficult to believe what I've done. Scientists have seen my work and they can't explain it. 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Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [“But the process should not be confused with science. When tests are used as selections devices, they're not a neutral tool; they become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-whyte/but-the-process-should-not-be-confused-with-science-when-tests-are/) [William H. Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-whyte/) ## More by Doris Lessing > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“In the morning, when she wishes me to wake, she crouches on my chest, and pats my face with her paw. Or, if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/in-the-morning-when-she-wishes-me-to-wake-she-crouches-on-my-chest/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [You know, whenever women make imaginary female kingdoms in literature, they are always very permissive, to use the jargon word, and easy and generous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/you-know-whenever-women-make-imaginary-female-kingdoms-in-literature/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [There is only one real sin and that is to persuade oneself that the second best is anything but second best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/there-is-only-one-real-sin-and-that-is-to-persuade-oneself-that-the/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“She was using the water as she had used the fruit earlier—to calm herself, to assure herself of the possibility of normality. Yet all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/she-was-using-the-water-as-she-had-used-the-fruit-earlier-to-calm/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [I remember World War II when there were very few books, very little paper available. 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I've been much happier unmarried than married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/i-do-not-think-that-marriage-is-one-of-my-talents-i-ve-been-much/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [I haven't got the energy to write now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/i-haven-t-got-the-energy-to-write-now/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [What really fascinates me is this need that is so strong now that if you read a work of the imagination you instantly have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/what-really-fascinates-me-is-this-need-that-is-so-strong-now-that-if/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“The charge that the United Nations are using bacteriological warfare in Korea cannot be dismissed merely because it would be insane.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/the-charge-that-the-united-nations-are-using-bacteriological-warfare/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [What I did have, which others perhaps didn't, was a capacity for sticking at it, which really is the point, not the talent at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/what-i-did-have-which-others-perhaps-didn-t-was-a-capacity-for/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [The human community is evolving... . We can survive anything you care to mention. We are supremely equipped to survive, to adapt and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/the-human-community-is-evolving-we-can-survive-anything-you-care-to/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [So love is rest? The cosy corner? The little nook? Sometimes it ought to be. Sometimes it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/so-love-is-rest-the-cosy-corner-the-little-nook-sometimes-it-ought-to/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) [Explore all 508 Doris Lessing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) ## More First place quotes > [“But the process should not be confused with science. When tests are used as selections devices, they're not a neutral tool; they become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-whyte/but-the-process-should-not-be-confused-with-science-when-tests-are/) [William H. Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-whyte/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. 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