To think is easy. To act is hard. But the hardest thing in the world is to act in accordance with your thinking. - Johann von Goethe
Defamation Tute: JR 212
My old uni notes (20 years old)
* Unlawful to publish defamatory matter unless it is protected, justified or excused by law.
Need proof of:
• publication
• it was defamatory matter
• no defences - protected, justification or excuse
"Liar" "Cheat" "Thief" "Coward" "Murderer"
I found a suitcase of old uni notes in the garage all dusty but readable.
The last time I did a "Law for Journalists" course - around 2002-2003 I think - the law had not changed. High Distinction too.
All the amateur publishers - for that's what most everyone is on the web in these days of social media - don't know anything about all this. That' why the mainstream publishers cry in their soup at night because there's nothing better than the thrill of pushing that envelop to the edge. A lot of what is published these days anywhere is careening down a chasm.
And the law - on paper hasn't changed - all the cases still stand. But you wouldn't think so watching what's been happening in our society with the Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott and his crew calling the Prime Minister Julia Gillard a liar all the time, for example.
Interesting really. As if people in real life don't have to compromise, as if circumstances don't change, as if you don't change with the circumstances.
Reading these old notes I realised that I hadn't changed with the circumstances because the stuff of these notes is still what I believe. And reading my old Ancient History tute papers I see that politics hasn't changed at all either.
Tutorial No 5: The Alkmeonidai and Marathon: What was the significance of the signal at Marathon in the context of Athenian politics in the early 5th Century BC?
A record made by Herodotus of a shield signal to the Persian invading fleet of Darius was made probably by members of a pro-Persian force - possibly a respected Athenian family, the Alkmeonids. Lot of possibles there. No defamation laws. No defences.
Recorded in stone. Were the Alkmeonids defamed? They apparently did not believe that Athens could beat the Persians so they wanted to be on the winning side. Does all this sound familar at all?
I think that Arts students and generalists - as opposed to engineers, librarians and specialists - do get a better "education". Pity we don't rule the world. ;)