The Big Why

Last night on Twitter, emboldened by a combination of Pamela Colloff and Woodford Reserve, Ben was moved to declare, "All you sports folks, I love what most of you do, but there are innocent people on death row. Redirect your energy."

He has since retreated from the statement. (Most of us, including myself, have tweeted something we wished we could un-tweet.) But I think it brings up several important questions. Why do you do this work? How often is it just a job, a series of tasks in exchange for money and a byline, and how often does it feel like a calling? When thinking about what story to pursue, how often does the question of "HOW WILL THIS MAKE THE WORLD BETTER" come into play? Is it…