If it was humour, the setup was missing

By Letter to the Editor on February 14, 2018.

Re: “A grumpy old man, but with a sense of humour,” Feb. 6

Certain skills are required to be an effective writer, as well as a compelling comedian. In stating the last line in his previous guest column — “If you do not agree with my opinions, you are probably wrong. But that is just my opinion” — McLennan offers that it was written as humour. What is missing, though, is the setup for the laugh. Was it missing or are we to believe that his whole column was the setup and therefore not to be taken seriously? Do this at a comedy club and it might be rather embarrassing. It came off to me as arrogant.

I personally took issue with most of the opinions offered but they were too long to list. They were not so much thought provoking as so open to critique. The most important skill a writer should have is to express his/her views without showing obvious bias and to invite meaningful debate through careful use of words, known and agreed upon facts, and the discipline to edit out personal grievances.

It is perfectly OK to write an opinion piece any way you wish but if the idea is to captivate an audience and induce thought … you failed to do that for me. Forming sentences as questions is the best method I know to give an audience a chance to reflect. This column was no more thought-provoking than comment sections of online news articles.

Paul, I wish you the best going forward. The most influential columnist in my lifetime is someone who was included in the Medicine Hat News in the 1970s as I was growing up. I am not sure who your target audience is but it might be worth your while to pick up a copy of “The best of Mike Royko,” especially if you like to infuse humour in your writing. It just seemed to me that you were writing for the man in the mirror, and as good as it is for the ego would it not be more satisfying to reach out to a wider audience and expand your influence?

You’ve taken some flak for your words, some of it deserved. You can take the criticism as your view of the world or as your skill as a writer. Either way, a disciplined writer needs a thick skin to deflect criticism because it will always be there. In my opinion the people you were writing for already think the way you do, so what’s the point? Give a guy like me pause to think and you’ve accomplished something.

As a side-note to McLennan supporter Larry Ottmann: Isn’t the term “political correctness” a bit of an overused misnomer? Doesn’t the word “respect” fit better in this, the 21st century?

Ken Arnott

Medicine Hat

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