When I began this blog a year ago, I had a basic idea in mind. I would attempt to write objectively about political, social, and business issues and to support my arguments with clear and verifiable evidence whenever possible. I would also aim to make learning about Mongolia rewarding not only for my readers but for me. I even went as far as developing a formal statement about the editorial standard for the blog:
“Content on The Mongolist and its affiliated websites is provided without a political agenda or aim. All content is presented in the pursuit of education and increased knowledge about Mongolia and is created as objectively and dispassionately as possible. Editorials and subjective opinions are labelled as such whenever and wherever possible.” [see original here].
In the spirit of this standard, I want to inform my readers that I began working with Oyu Tolgoi as a consultant recently. I believe my credibility as an objective and dispassionate analyst is dependent on people knowing potential biases that might influence how I perceive an issue. I have thought long and hard about how to address this, and I have decided the best solution is a self-imposed embargo on writing about issues that intersect with mining in Mongolia. Given the scale of the Oyu Tolgoi project, it is easy to imagine that leaves very little left to write about. Yes and no. Writing about other topics while remaining true to the founding idea and editorial standard of the blog will be a challenge, but it will be an interesting challenge.
I will continue writing, but I’ll avoid topics that might legitimately call my objectivity into question. And, when in doubt, I will parenthetically remind readers about the work I now do.
As always, feel free to contact me with comments and questions at editor@themongolist.com. I am always happy to communicate directly with my readers. Thanks for reading.