The Holland-America Line

Ode, Vol. 4, Issue 7,
September 2006, Rotterdam (in Dutch) and Tiburon, California (in English)

It’s a mantra recited by everyone from Michael Moore to Jon Stewart. Major media outlets would rather scare their readers than inform them. Whether it’s a local news broadcast warning parents of dangerous nannies, or a newsweekly magazine (Time, in this case) whose cover line on climate change commands readers to "Be Worried. Be Very Worried," the message is clear: It’s a dangerous world out there. Better to stay home and watch TV.

It’s this dim view of the planet — and the media — that Ode magazine seeks to counter. It was founded nearly 12 years ago in Rotterdam by Dutch journalist Jurriaan Kamp, who had worked for a decade at one of the Netherlands’ largest newspapers, NRC Handelsblad, and as a radio and television journalist. Kamp ultimately decided that the mainstream media he grew up with "represents the wrong world to the people" by focusing disproportionately on negative stories of war, crime, and disappointment. So Kamp decided to create his own independent publication that would advocate an alternative, optimistic outlook about the people and ideas that are changing the world. The magazine bills itself as a tool to help readers "see how every one of us can contribute to a more just and sustainable world." According to Kamp, Ode is not simply a magazine; it’s a way of life.

Perusing pages of clean design filled with upbeat language, it would be easy to think the editors of Ode live in a completely different world than the one depicted by the rest of the newsstand. Packed with overwhelmingly positive tidbits often culled and quoted from other publications (including FP) and scientific studies touting the immense possibilities of the future of humanity, Ode doesn’t dwell on the typical gloom-and-doom stories that dominate the news cycle. Although it claims to be an "international news magazine," it’s not the place to get the latest on the Iraqi insurgency or North Korean nukes. Last September’s issue, for example, enticed readers with a sanguine headline, "We Can Save the World!" in which Hungarian philosopher Ervin Laszlo offered ways to foster a "peaceful and sustainable civilization." His suggestions included, "Let go of old beliefs that no longer make sense" (like the free market), "Think globally, act morally" (like Gandhi), and "Evolve your consciousness" (by meditating). They’re enlightening suggestions, to be sure. But advice like "Dream — and take your dreams seriously," feels more like the text for a sunset-painted postcard than a real, actionable path to improve the planet, not to mention the hectic lives of busy readers.

For all the positivity and faith in the power of people that Ode professes, there are also bits of criticism sprinkled throughout the magazine. It’s just directed at less obvious targets. The September issue showed a general distaste for the medical and pharmaceutical fields: "Spontaneous recovery is common among patients, but rarely talked about by doctors," proclaimed one article. "Even quitting smoking can be unhealthy if you look for help from medications like Wellbutrin," warned another. Read Ode, and you just might figure out how to fix this crazy, messed-up world on your own, without the help of "meddling" doctors or "unnecessary" medications.

With this kind of idealistic, "we are the world" perspective, it would be easy to dismiss Ode as hyper-lefty, antiglobalization hokum. After all, the magazine did debut its English version by blanketing the 2003 World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil, with several thousand copies. And it’s true that the magazine’s natural audience considers itself progressive, probably reads each issue with a side of Mother Jones, and wouldn’t immediately scoff at September’s confessional essay on seeking romance through Web sites for Buddhist singles. That Ode has thrived in the Netherlands and in northern California — headquarters of its new U.S. edition — isn’t surprising; they are, after all, pockets of progressivism that tend to be out of step with the mainstream. But that oversimplification misses Ode‘s real potential as a laboratory for new ideas and solutions to the problems we’ll face in the future. The cover story by Senior Editor Marco Visscher, for example, examined ways that innovative video games are improving education and learning retention in schools. A short article by Senior Editor Tijn Touber offered a balanced refutation of the myths of wind power. It’s refreshing to read such articles that eschew scare tactics and hyperbole. Ode‘s approach seems to be catching on, even outside of its traditional progressive demographic. Kamp says that the magazine is finding an audience who may "vote Republican [and read] the Harvard Business Review." Its worldwide circulation recently passed the 100,000 mark, with most of its readers in the United States, Europe, and Canada, and more than two thirds reading the year-old U.S. edition.

Its roster of prominent writers keeps growing, with well-known names such as Robert Redford, Bono, and Prince Charles penning articles. Brazilian novelist Paolo Coelho is a regular columnist, as is Body Shop founder Anita Roddick, who calls the magazine "essential reading." With its eco-friendly stance — it plants a tree in Uganda for every subscriber — Ode is surely a beneficiary of the current pro-environment mood that has sprouted in the United States and Europe. Its success may also be attributed in part to its mission of providing at least the seeds of practical solutions to the world’s problems. Ode tries to present at least three real ways readers can address the issues it raises in each feature essay. This general belief in the strength of the individual does feel empowering.

A publication that actively avoids the fear-mongering rampant in most of the mainstream media is certainly welcome. But with so much emphasis on the power of positive thinking, there isn’t much room for harsh reality. Sometimes, the world is a scary place — a place where media outlets owe it to their time-starved audiences to tackle important, if terrifying, stories. Ode’s coverage favors less dramatic and perhaps less vital topics. But it’s worth picking up — if only to take a peek at a few of the ideas the rest of the world might have adopted 20 years from now.