Gonzo Journalism

Gonzo journalism is a style of journalism that places the reporter as part of the story using first person narrative. Many people believe that the word itself "Gonzo" was first used in an article that was written by Hunter S. Thompson. Gonzo style of writing tends to favor style over fact to gain an "accurate" account of the story. The writing comes on with a more rugged approach rather than making it all nice and pretty. The vibe and feel of the piece of writing is just as important as it is presented on. Nobody truly knows where Thompson acquired the word from. He first uses the term in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. "Free Enterprise. The American Dream. Horatio Alger gone mad on drugs in Las Vegas. Do it now: pure Gonzo journalism." (pg. 12)

Thompson frequently sent in his papers late because he wanted the story not to be edited but to come out in its true form. When Thompson was writing the story about the Hells Angels biker gang he puts himself into the situation to accurately write about them. He establishes a friendship with some of the members, where most other reporters failed. He doesn't just report about their lives, he lives there lives. That's what gonzo journalism is about my friends, to put yourself right in the thick of the story. To become part of the story.

Even though many people think that Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a great example of gonzo journalism, Thompson felt that it was a failed project. He wanted the book to be printed out exactly how he wrote it, but he had to revise it five times before it was finally published.

Thompson was quoted saying " If I'd written the truth I knew for the past ten years, about 600 people--including me--would be rotting in prison cells from Rio to Seattle today. Absolute truth is a very rare and dangerous commodity in the context of professional journalism."

In an article written by the Michigan Online News Association that says "Hunter S. Thompson didn't just create a new form of journalism. He created a new way of thinking that is still important in today's society. A style that is so influential that it has seeped through to the hearts and minds of the succeeding generations. Within the last two decades there have been an onslaught of novels, documentaries, works of art, and websites devoted to Thompson. It is doubtful that many members of the Digital Age partake in the hard gonzo lifestyle of drugs and alcohol that Thompson symbolizes."

To summarize Gonzo journalism isn't just a style of writing, its a new way of thinking. Its a revolution for an alternative mind set. Turn on, tune in, drop out.

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