The Journalist and the Murderer by Janet Malcolm is an essay that critically examines the power dynamics between journalists and their subjects. Focusing on the case of Jeffrey MacDonald, a convicted murderer, and Joe McGinniss, a journalist who wrote about the case in Fatal Vision, Malcolm explores how journalists manipulate truth under the guise of objectivity. Through a detailed analysis of McGinniss' portrayal of MacDonald, Malcolm argues that journalism, by nature, distorts reality, as journalists control narratives and selectively interpret facts. She uses psychological theories, such as Stanley Milgram's authority experiment, to illustrate the power imbalance inherent in journalism. Ultimately, Malcolm’s essay questions the ethical challenges in representing truth and highlights the subtle distortions that shape public perception.
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