"On the continent at any rate...the journalist shares with the demagogue, the advocate and the artist the fate of lacking any firm social classification. He belongs to a kind of pariah-caste which, in the eyes of 'society', is always gauged socially by those of its representatives who are of the lowest moral quality. Thus the strangest ideas about journalists and their work are widespread." (331-32)
"Few people are aware that a really good piece of journalistic work demands at least as good a mind as that of any scholar, above all because of the need to produce work immediately, to order, and because it has to be immediately effective, although produced under quite different circumstances from those of the scholar." (332)
"Whatever happens...a journalistic career remains one of the most important paths to professional political activity. It is not a path for everyone. It is certainly not one for weak characters, particularly not for people who can only maintain their inner balance in a situation of social and professional security."
"Although the life of a young scholar involves taking a gamble, he is surrounded by the firm conventions of his social position which keep him from going off the rails. A journalist's life, however, is essentially a gamble in every respect, and, what is more, one that is made under conditions which put a person's inner security to the test as few other situations in life do."
"What is surprising...is the fact that, despite everything, this section of society in particular contains such a large number of valuable and quite genuine people, many more, indeed, than outsiders tend to imagine." (334)
Max Weber, "The Profession and Vocation of Politics", Weber: Political Writings, p. 331-34.
