The “New Journalism” Movement

The philosophical and cultural themes underlying the New Journalism movements in 1960s America began with the changes in social and political rebellion.  New journalism began emerging within America with the sale of “penny paper”. This change was seen as the fall of classic journalism. Tom Wolfe wrote a book entitled to New Journalism which based on telling to seeing news which was fitting with society at the time.  In Wolfe’s book The New Journalism on pages 46-47 he described four features that were needed in order to blur the line between fiction and non-fiction.   Starting with:

1. Scene by scene construction:  Wolfe believed by the telling a story in scenes as you see it will ensure that every detail is captured not in a sheer historical narrative. Journalists were at the event to witness it.

2. Realistic Dialogue: He alleged that the ready will be involved completely than using any other trick or devices. It will define the character more quickly and effectively.

3. Third Person Point of View: Interviewing about thoughts and emotions along with everything else will allow the reader the feeling of being inside the characters mind. 

4. Everyday Gestures:  habits, Customs, Styles of furniture, models of behaviour towards children, superiors, inferiors and symbolic details that might exist within a scene are a perfect tool that can be used to give the readers a description of the setting and paint a picture of the characters.

These features were brought at a time of change due to the Vietnam War, Cold war, nuclear strikes, drugs, black power, free love and civil rights as they were emerging out of this era and changes were looked-for.  Every article written based on this topics was considered a mini novel where readers became immersed within the story whilst learning about the latest news.

The “New Left” Movement

The new movement began as a result of the Communist Parties of the United States and Great Britian's incapability of responding to the Hungarian rebellions against Soviet Union. Marxist activists started to reject the authoritarian approach of Communism in favour of a more democratic approach which was based on freedom. The new left movement can be remembered as the revolution of youth culture. Students from United States, Western Europe and Japan mostly from middle class and college educated began a revolution with its main purpose to get American out of Vietnam.  But shortly the Cultural Revolution failed to make its mark in the short term. No Western government was slightly threatened of danger to being overthrown.  The students were reabsorbed by a system they hated.  The indirect effects of the movement were far more immense in cultural and political sense.  By affecting the peace movement therefore it helped get the United States out of Vietnam. But overall it did more damage than it did good by glamorising drugs, degrading traditional values by insulting democracy. The New lefts movement legacy was determined to reduce humanities to a political correct agenda to smash the shackles of traditional sexual morality, to liberate youth from their elders and to entrench entitlements and affirmative action into the American way of life.

Often the new left movement was associated with the "flower power" hippie culture of the 1960s. Both cultures opposed capitalism and used non-violent tactics to protest for nuclear disarmament, civil rights and environmentalism. Like the hippie movements, most of the participants in the New left were college-age, Caucasian  middle class students, although minority groups were also associated with it. There were differences,however, such as the fact that hippies routinely disengaged from society while some new leftist went on to become intellectuals and politicians. 

Relation between the "New Left" and "New Journalism"

The relation between the two can be very significant as they both concentrated on delivering a similar goal based on freedom. Their background of Vietnam War, nuclear strikes, drugs, free love and civil rights has made the activist and educators to look at making a change that the would benefit in a long tern run to our society and different aspects. New Journalism movements can be used to deliver the message or the goal of the New Left Movement. As both movements main interest is what goes around the world during a time of conflict as people want to know the safety of their loved ones and other personal matters. 

What is the continuing influence of these developments?

New Journalism has been used as an influential tool over the years to voice different type of opinions based on showing political problems and other issues that can be tackled that society deals with. Seeing rather than just hearing brings a different prospective to the reader which keeps him more indulged and delivers a reality as it happens. An example that can be used in this case is the live coverage of the 9/11 attack, seeing and feeling everything that has gone on. The New Left movement continuing influence and work is based on more freedom of expression to make a difference. This developments have helped to get more people involved on the different matters that affect society such as the war in Iraq, environment problems such as pollution and so on. By doing so these matters can be looked at and something can be done towards tackling the issues that can affect us as a society and everything around us. New Journalism and New Left can together in a way in order to achieve their goals and deliver a better and developed civilization.