Memories and apologizes

During the past academic year, I have written 14 columns for The Daily Princetonian, some of which I am proud and some of which I would change if I could. Here then are my thoughts on the words I have written this year.

There are two columns in particular which, in retrospect, were ill-considered. The first of these was "Patriot Shell Games," which I wrote after getting angry at a column I had read earlier in the day. Here, I defended people I disliked on overly technical grounds and included an unnecessary ad hominem attack that did nothing for my argument. There were so many points that I could have made but didn't that might actually have addressed Professor Reinhardt's column. I failed to effectively make my point or advance the debate, either of which might have excused my style. This is one column I would like to overhaul, especially the first three paragraphs.

My other major mistake was from last December, when I criticized the Associated Press for a then-ongoing scandal involving allegations of false reporting in Iraq. In the end, the AP was at least partially vindicated. Most embarrassingly, in a column about the dangers of trusting a source too much, I did exactly that. By failing to deal critically with claims I was predisposed to believe, I missed an obvious possibility that ended up being true. A bit more skepticism on my part, exactly what I was urging on others, would have served me well.

Beyond those two big mistakes, there were a couple of other instances in which my work did not live up to my expectations. The idea to publish three mini-columns in one was a good one that did not work out exactly as planned. I had an opportunity to break new ground here and mostly failed to do so. While not a bad column, it could and should have been much better than it was.

I was also disappointed by my last two columns. In "Days of the Demagogues," I was unable to write concisely enough to make all the points I had planned on. Because of that, my argument is incomplete and insufficiently supported. My point there was good; my execution was awful. I had a similar problem in my last column, but I can't see how I could have made the detailed points I did on "The Prox" in the space of 750 words. Without the extra 2,000 words I wrote explaining my points, this column, especially my vague attack on Barack Obama (D-Ill.), would be indefensible.

Now that the self-flagellation is out of the way, I'd like to talk about what I think I did right. The column that I had the most fun with was my first of the year, "Geeks bearing gifts." I had been waiting to write this all summer, and I was ecstatic when I stumbled across actual facts to back up my suspicions. My one regret is that I never found time to write a true follow-up to it, but I assure you that one will appear. As we go forward into next year, the first with four-year residential colleges, I will try to summon this same spirit.

Another column of which I am proud was my analysis of the midterm elections. I stand by my theory of why the Republicans lost their majorities (pure opposition can never win one a majority; some semblance of a positive agenda is necessary for victory, and the Republicans had none) and think that this same problem could doom the Democrats in 2008. I would also say that this same dynamic just played out in France, where Segolene Royal lost because she campaigned on not being Nicolas Sarkozy.

The other two columns I most like were my before and after series on Bicker. I think that these two columns really captured the class' mood on that tumultuous weekend, providing a snapshot of how a quarter of Princeton was feeling. These were the columns I would change the least.

The rest of my columns didn't strike me as either particularly great or particularly bad. If you disagree with that or any of the rest of my analysis, please let me know. As I try and fail to be perfect in print, I can use as much feedback as I can get. Read more and comment on this column and others in The Daily Princetonian's Opinion Section Blog, The Prox. Barry Caro is a sophomore from White Plains, N.Y. He can be reached at bcaro@princeton.edu.