--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am a journalist and, under the modern…" description: "\"I am a journalist and, under the modern journalist's code of Olympian objectivity (and total purity of motive), I am absolved of responsibility. We jou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/p-j-o-rourke-184_code_i-am-a-journalist-and-under-the-modern-j_3214367.png" --- # I am a journalist and, under the modern journalist's code… ![“I am a journalist and, under the modern journalist's code of Olympian objectivity (and total purity of motive), I am absolved of responsibility. We journalists don't have to step on roaches. All we have to do is turn on the kitchen light and watch the critters scurry.” quote by P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/p-j-o-rourke-184_code_i-am-a-journalist-and-under-the-modern-j_3214367.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/p-j-o-rourke-184_code_i-am-a-journalist-and-under-the-modern-j_3214367.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/p-j-o-rourke-184_code_i-am-a-journalist-and-under-the-modern-j_3214367.png) > “I am a journalist and, under the modern journalist's code of Olympian objectivity (and total purity of motive), I am absolved of responsibility. We journalists don't have to step on roaches. All we have to do is turn on the kitchen light and watch the critters scurry.” [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author satirically claims journalists are absolved from responsibility, likening them to observers who merely illuminate problems without acting. **In simple terms:** Journalists claim they can stay neutral and just report. Key Takeaway Recognize the limits of objectivity and the need for ethical engagement. Themes media ethics responsibility objectivity satire Mood critical reflective Type satirical philosophical When to use this quote - news reporting - investigative journalism - public discourse - media criticism Key Concepts journalistic integrity moral accountability Questions to Reflect On - Should journalists intervene when witnessing harm? - How does claim of neutrality affect public trust? A Different Perspective Objectivity can mask bias; responsibility may be unavoidable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Code](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/code/) [Critters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critters/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Journalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalist/) [Journalist Code](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalist-code-6018012/) [Journalist Modern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalist-modern-6018013/) [Kitchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kitchen/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Modern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern/) [Modern journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-journalism-124098/) [Modern Journalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-journalist-1214397/) [Motive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motive/) [Objectivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objectivity/) [Olympian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olympian/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Purity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purity/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Responsibility Journalists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility-journalists-2066591/) [Roaches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roaches/) [Steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steps/) [Turn on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turn-on/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) [Watches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watches/) ## Related quotes > [I hesitate to say what the functions of the modern journalist may be, but I imagine that they do not exclude the intelligent anticipation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-curzon-1st-marquess-curzon-of-kedleston/i-hesitate-to-say-what-the-functions-of-the-modern-journalist-may-be/) [George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-curzon-1st-marquess-curzon-of-kedleston/) > [We journalists don't have to step on roaches. All we have to do is turn on the kitchen light and watch the critters scutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/we-journalists-don-t-have-to-step-on-roaches-all-we-have-to-do-is/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [have a lot of respect for the responsibility that journalists have to ask tough questions, to hold the administration accountable and to be advocates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-earnest/have-a-lot-of-respect-for-the-responsibility-that-journalists-have-to/) [Josh Earnest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-earnest/) > [Journalism is the closest thing I have to a religion, because I believe deeply in the role and responsibility the journalists have to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kovach/journalism-is-the-closest-thing-i-have-to-a-religion-because-i/) [Bill Kovach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kovach/) > [The most important responsibility we have as journalists is to question those who are in power. I honestly believe that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-ramos/the-most-important-responsibility-we-have-as-journalists-is-to/) [Jorge Ramos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-ramos/) > [Many of the most important stories in the history of modern journalism have come from sources who have taken information without authorization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/many-of-the-most-important-stories-in-the-history-of-modern/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [There is much to be said in favour of modern journalism. By giving us the opinions of the uneducated, it keeps us in touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/there-is-much-to-be-said-in-favour-of-modern-journalism-by-giving-us/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The truth is, "What is a journalist?" is one of those questions for which there is no proper answer. The prehistory of modern journalism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-marr/the-truth-is-what-is-a-journalist-is-one-of-those-questions-for-which/) [Andrew Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-marr/) > [There is much to be said in favor of modern journalism. By giving us the opinions of the uneducated, it keeps us in touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/there-is-much-to-be-said-in-favor-of-modern-journalism-by-giving-us/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [It is chiefly, I regret to say, through journalism that such people find expression. I regret it because there is much to be said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-chiefly-i-regret-to-say-through-journalism-that-such-people/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Speak frankly, I am not in favour of long engagements. They give people the opportunity of finding out each other’s character before marriage, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/speak-frankly-i-am-not-in-favour-of-long-engagements-they-give-people/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“...who is the pioneer of modern journalism? Not Hemingway who wrote of his experiences in the trenches, not Orwell who spent a year of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/who-is-the-pioneer-of-modern-journalism-not-hemingway-who-wrote-of/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [As for modern journalism, it is not my business to defend it. It justifies its own existence by the great Darwinian principle of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/as-for-modern-journalism-it-is-not-my-business-to-defend-it-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I have no faith in a human critter who hasn't one or two bad habits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-deland/i-have-no-faith-in-a-human-critter-who-hasn-t-one-or-two-bad-habits/) [Margaret Deland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-deland/) > [“The smaller the creature, the bolder its spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-smaller-the-creature-the-bolder-its-spirit/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) ## More by P. J. O'Rourke > [I'm fascinated by political enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-m-fascinated-by-political-enthusiasm/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The Democrats said, "We don't know what's wrong with America, but we can fix it." The Republicans said, "There's nothing wrong with America, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-democrats-said-we-don-t-know-what-s-wrong-with-america-but-we-can/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [At Epcot Center the Disney corporation has focused its attention on two things greatly in need of Disneyfication: the tedious future and the annoying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/at-epcot-center-the-disney-corporation-has-focused-its-attention-on/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/so-called-western-civilization-as-practised-in-half-of-europe-some-of/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [My whole family can talk. They are all car salesmen. They are all funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/my-whole-family-can-talk-they-are-all-car-salesmen-they-are-all-funny/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [It was Ronald Reagan who used to say that the 10 most frightening words in the English language are, "I'm from the federal government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/it-was-ronald-reagan-who-used-to-say-that-the-10-most-frightening/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Gun violence has cost us too many political leaders, and hardly ever the worst ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/gun-violence-has-cost-us-too-many-political-leaders-and-hardly-ever/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Pete Seeger is a modest, unassuming, cheerful, and kind-natured man. He's a good folk singer, if you can stand folk singing. And he's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/pete-seeger-is-a-modest-unassuming-cheerful-and-kind-natured-man-he-s/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Journalists are notoriously easy to kid. All you have to do is speak to a journalist in a very serious tone of voice, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/journalists-are-notoriously-easy-to-kid-all-you-have-to-do-is-speak/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I like to think of my behavior in the sixties as a 'learning experience.' Then again, I like to think of anything stupid I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-like-to-think-of-my-behavior-in-the-sixties-as-a-learning/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I'll be 56 this year, I've got two kids, and I think it's probably time to go back to writing one-glove jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-ll-be-56-this-year-i-ve-got-two-kids-and-i-think-it-s-probably-time/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Something that comes to us, some gym shoe that comes to us as a result of child labor from a brutal dictatorship, where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/something-that-comes-to-us-some-gym-shoe-that-comes-to-us-as-a-result/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Russians not only vehemently despise blacks, they believe Africa begins at the Ukraine border.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/russians-not-only-vehemently-despise-blacks-they-believe-africa/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Now, do I think the baby boomers tend to be self-absorbed? I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/now-do-i-think-the-baby-boomers-tend-to-be-self-absorbed-i-do/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) [Explore all 983 P. J. O'Rourke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) ## More Code quotes > [At the deepest level, all living things that have ever been looked at have the same DNA code. And many of the same genes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/at-the-deepest-level-all-living-things-that-have-ever-been-looked-at/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [It is no secret that I have read 'The Da Vinci Code' several times. I genuinely believe that 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/it-is-no-secret-that-i-have-read-the-da-vinci-code-several-times-i/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) > [Programmers are always surrounded by complexity; we cannot avoid it… If our basic tool, the language in which we design and code our programs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hoare/programmers-are-always-surrounded-by-complexity-we-cannot-avoid-it-if/) [Tony Hoare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hoare/) > [One of my most productive days was throwing away 1,000 lines of code.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-thompson/one-of-my-most-productive-days-was-throwing-away-1-000-lines-of-code/) [Ken Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-thompson/) > [Writing code means always having to say you're sorry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ford/writing-code-means-always-having-to-say-you-re-sorry/) [Paul Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ford/) > [It would be a piece of ingenuousness to accuse the man of today of his lack of moral code. The accusation would leave him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/it-would-be-a-piece-of-ingenuousness-to-accuse-the-man-of-today-of/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [I loved 'Chicago Code;' I watched that a lot. It was great because it really captured the city - I'm from Chicago, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessy-schram/i-loved-chicago-code-i-watched-that-a-lot-it-was-great-because-it/) [Jessy Schram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessy-schram/) > [I kind of pride myself on coming onto things that are well-oiled machines and finding a way to bring what I bring and fit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/i-kind-of-pride-myself-on-coming-onto-things-that-are-well-oiled/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [When we're done simplifying the tax code, getting the lobbyist carve outs our of the tax code, lowering our rates and letting people have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/when-we-re-done-simplifying-the-tax-code-getting-the-lobbyist-carve/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [The tax code is 10 times the size of the Bible with none of the good news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/the-tax-code-is-10-times-the-size-of-the-bible-with-none-of-the-good/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [The Cheney team had, for example, technological supremacy over the National Security Council staff. That is to say, they could read their e-mails. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wilkerson/the-cheney-team-had-for-example-technological-supremacy-over-the/) [Lawrence Wilkerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wilkerson/) > [ \[T\]he tax code has been piling up, year after year, a symbol of everything gone wrong in America, of arrogant rulers and lost freedom,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-armey/t-he-tax-code-has-been-piling-up-year-after-year-a-symbol-of/) [Dick Armey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-armey/) > [In open source, you really have to be near the watershed to have an impact on the source code. Customers want to be near…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-fenton/in-open-source-you-really-have-to-be-near-the-watershed-to-have-an/) [Peter Fenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-fenton/) > [We can use our art to become political, to become something you want to talk about. We make clothes, but we have the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-rousteing/we-can-use-our-art-to-become-political-to-become-something-you-want/) [Olivier Rousteing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-rousteing/) > [Your zip code or your income level should not dictate your access to healthy drinking water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-padilla/your-zip-code-or-your-income-level-should-not-dictate-your-access-to/) [Alex Padilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-padilla/) [Browse all 1,662 Code quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/code/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am a journalist and, under the modern journalist's code of Olympian objectivity (and total purity of motive), I am absolved of responsibility. We journalists don't have to step on roaches. All we have to do is turn on the kitchen light and watch the critters scurry.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "P. J. O'Rourke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-am-a-journalist-and-under-the-modern-journalist-s-code-of-olympian/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Code" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-am-a-journalist-and-under-the-modern-journalist-s-code-of-olympian/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/p-j-o-rourke-184_code_i-am-a-journalist-and-under-the-modern-j_3214367.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/p-j-o-rourke-184_code_i-am-a-journalist-and-under-the-modern-j_3214367.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/p-j-o-rourke-184_code_i-am-a-journalist-and-under-the-modern-j_3214367.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am a journalist and, under the modern journalist's code of Olympian objectivity (and total purity of…” — P. J. O'Rourke", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "P. J. O'Rourke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I am a journalist and, under...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-am-a-journalist-and-under-the-modern-journalist-s-code-of-olympian/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-am-a-journalist-and-under-the-modern-journalist-s-code-of-olympian/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```