What a statement for a journalist to make. This is a huge rant published by Joel Stein on the LA Times website. The essence: he does not want anything to do with community. He wants a one-way dialogue, nothing more.

Here’s what my Internet-fearing editors have failed to understand: I don’t want to talk to you; I want to talk at you. A column is not my attempt to engage in a conversation with you. I have more than enough people to converse with. And I don’t listen to them either. That sound on the phone, Mom, is me typing…

I get that you have opinions you want to share. That’s great. You’re the Person of the Year. I just don’t have any interest in them. First of all, I did a tiny bit of research for my column, so I’m already familiar with your brilliant argument. Second, I’ve already written my column, so I can’t even steal your ideas and get paid for them.

The point is not that Joel should write back to any of the comments, but that he use the feedback to learn and develop his own ideas.

Tags: joel stein, la times, email, journalism, journalists, community