A values lens that's not rose-tinted

The Monitor speaks a universal language [View in browser]( [The Christian Science Monitor] [Mark Sappenfield]( Taylor Luck Middle East Correspondent [[twitter] @taylor_luck]( Human values are a universal language – and we as Monitor reporters want to be having fluent conversations. As we pivot to a deeper look at the values thst drive news events, what does this mean for you as readers? More humanity. A personal struggle or triumph is no longer simply a colorful lede. Often it will be the story, exploring a value we all recognize, whether in a far-flung village or your corner supermarket. For example, in [my June report on Saudi Arabia’s post-oil plans]( the values lens shifted focus away from a controversial crown prince’s vision toward an on-the-ground story about individual and societal transformation. When I recently reported on [drought in Jordan,]( instead of speaking with officials and experts I jumped in a car and drove two hours to see first-hand how Jordanian villagers were faring. I observed the ingenuity and resourcefulness of waterless families finding ways to bathe, do laundry and tend the farm; their strategies to get through the month without knowing when the next drop will come. It became a story about doing more with less, something we have all grappled with during the pandemic and now inflation. If values are a universal language, empathy is its Rosetta Stone. Our values lens is not rose-tinted. This new approach does not suddenly make the Middle East less violent or its actors less cynical. But it will help us reporters zoom in on what really is at stake and explore the motivations, actions, and viewpoints driving the news. We hope the result is news that engages, not exhausts. Taylor Luck, Middle East Correspondent [Explore our News & Values Hub]( --------------------------------------------------------------- © The Christian Science Monitor. All Rights Reserved. This email was sent because you opted-in to receive announcements from The Christian Science Monitor. This email was sent by: The Christian Science Monitor 210 Massachusetts Ave Boston, MA, 02115-3195, United States © 2022 The Christian Science Publishing Society [Postings and Submissions of Content]( [Privacy]( [Unsubscribe]( [Update Profile]( [Email Preference Center](