I would like to write a little bit about something that is occupying my mind recently quite a lot, which is a profession of reporter/war correspondent. I was always a huge fan of Ryszard Kapuscinski's books and i read next one last month, and it really bothers me, how interesting person he was and how amazing books he wrote.
The first reportage of Kapuscinski that I read was 'Lapidaria' (different parts), a mix of his thoughts and very short descriptions of some experience, many times accompannying by very apt reflexion.
Then I read 'Heban', 'Imperium' and 'Wojna futbolowa'. These are extremely interesting and also quite depressing books - you realize how different worlds are other continents, for example Africa and Southern America. Also you realize that you would never be so brave and desperate to know other cultures like Kapuscinski and other reporters were/are. When they heard about another war in Kongo (Kapuscinski and his friend from Chech Republic), they organized a rapid trip to Africa to be A PART OF IT. They weren't worried about their lives, their families, their health, the beastly temperatures or bugs of all type. That is what I am afraid of when I think about a possibility of going to Africa, and their only problem was to get there as soon as they could.
I think this is something you have to be born with - extreme interest that won't prevent you from going anywhere.
Another quality a reporter has is a respect. It seem to be something that every human (at least should) has for other humans, but certainly we know it's not always working. It is about something bigger than normal respect, it is, ata least for me, once again extreme. Kapuscinski watches cruelties of african tribes, and he is NOT JUDGING. Not at all! He is just observing and trying to understand and explain, why they are who they are and this is what impresses me the most, because when I see violence I'm getting really angry about 'why they killing themselves all the time'?
But not Kapuscinski - he knows that, although they seem to be cruel and kill others without a proper, higher reason, they must have been formed this way by some circumstances.
That reporter was purposely getting into the worst kettle, wars and adversity, to discover and understand how world works, how politics affects random people and their lives. I think I would be very bad reporter. And, therefore, I'm very grateful that Kapuscinski left us books that can change our way of seeing things, at least it worked for me.
