'Take risks but DON'T take risks!' Staff writer for The Atlantic takes NYT's job opening for Deputy Op-Editor APART in hilarious thread

Sounds like the New York Times is looking for a Deputy Opinions Editor …

Probably not a job for most sane people.

Times has an opening for Deputy Ritual Human Sacrifice, a job that somehow keeps opening up. Competitive salary, good benefits, family will be well taken care of so long as the employee is completely consumed by the altar fire, showing the Twitter gods have accepted the offering. https://t.co/G0knYywDDo

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) March 4, 2021

This thread taking their job description apart is truly a *chef’s kiss*.

Short thread on an interesting job post for Deputy Opinions Editor at the New York Times: pic.twitter.com/cUCP0rMQCY

— Conor Friedersdorf (@conor64) March 3, 2021

Interesting job post.

That’s a nice way to put it.

On one hand: "We're looking for an editor with a sense of humor and a spine of steel, a confident point of view and an open mind, an appetite for risk and exacting standards for excellence in writing and visual presentation."

— Conor Friedersdorf (@conor64) March 3, 2021

Unless your sense of humor and spine of steel pisses off the mob.

But we digress.

What's more: "The Times Opinion team aims to promote the most important and provocative debate across a range of subjects – including politics, global affairs, technology, culture, and business – and is passionate about including a vast array of diverse voices and perspectives."

— Conor Friedersdorf (@conor64) March 3, 2021

As long as those subjects are pleasing to the Left and big tech.

On the other hand: "this editor must be a sensitive and deft manager who is committed to advancing a workplace and culture that is inclusive, open and fair." Now, there isn't necessarily any contradiction there, depending on how we define our terms.

— Conor Friedersdorf (@conor64) March 3, 2021

And so many eye rolls.

However, if we define our terms so that, say, publishing a provocative op-ed by a GOP senator airing a commonly held view is considered to transgress against the requirement of being sensitive and harm NY Times staffers by airing a viewpoint that makes them unsafe…

— Conor Friedersdorf (@conor64) March 3, 2021

See?

Wouldn’t want to work for the NYT anyway, but especially not in this capacity.

Then it seems as though the job is written up in a way that makes success impossible. Take risks! Be provocative! Be passionate about airing diverse viewpoints! But don't *lose the newsroom* where a faction regards those very things as insensitive and harmful.

— Conor Friedersdorf (@conor64) March 3, 2021

BUT DON’T TAKE A RISK THAT MIGHT MAKE OUR READERS MAD.

I know a lot of people who would be great at editing a fantastic op-ed page. But I can't say I'd recommend that any of them take that job right now, because leadership wants to have it both ways:

— Conor Friedersdorf (@conor64) March 3, 2021

True story.

They don't want to say *our op-ed page is now aimed at moral clarity as we understand it, reflects our values, and excludes many perspectives that are widely held among Americans.*

But neither do they want to defend staffers who give them the diverse page they asked for.

— Conor Friedersdorf (@conor64) March 3, 2021

Bingo.

A risk taker, until the woke mob comes for them.

— Jen Stroup (@JenStroup) March 3, 2021

“We’ve offered the job to everyone internally and got no takers, so we’re now looking at outside candidates.”

— Dr. Rube Marlin (@RubricMarlin) March 4, 2021

Sounds like a pass for most people.

Heh.