Our Blind Spots

1. Why We Document Our Blind Spots

At Open Angle Post, we believe that intellectual honesty requires acknowledging our limitations. Every news organization, analyst, and journalist has blind spots—areas where understanding is incomplete, perspectives that are missed, or expertise that is lacking. Recognizing these limitations is not a weakness; it's a prerequisite for quality analysis.

This page documents our known blind spots, areas where we may lack expertise, perspectives we may be missing, and limitations that could affect our coverage. We maintain this page to:

• •Help readers understand the limitations of our analysis
• •Hold ourselves accountable to recognizing and addressing gaps in our understanding
• •Invite feedback and corrections from readers who can help us see what we're missing
• •Document our efforts to address these limitations over time

We acknowledge that we have limitations, biases, and areas where our understanding is incomplete. This transparency is essential for building trust and improving our work.

2. Language and Geographic Limitations

• •
  English-Language FocusWe are primarily English-language focused. Our sources, analysis, and perspectives are largely drawn from English-language media and scholarship. This means we may miss important perspectives, analyses, or developments from non-English-speaking regions and communities.
• •
  Western-Centric PerspectiveOur team is primarily based in Western countries and may bring Western perspectives and assumptions to our analysis. We recognize that events and issues in other parts of the world may be interpreted differently by local communities, and we may not always capture these perspectives accurately.
• •
  Limited Access to Local SourcesFor international coverage, we often rely on second-hand reporting and may not have direct access to local sources, context, or on-the-ground perspectives that would enrich our analysis.

3. Expertise Limitations

• •
  Limited Specialized Domain ExpertiseOur team has limited expertise in certain specialized domains such as advanced scientific research, highly technical fields, niche legal areas, or specialized industries. While we consult experts and sources when covering these areas, we may miss nuances that specialists would catch.
• •
  Generalist PerspectiveWe take a generalist approach to news analysis, which allows us to connect dots across topics but may mean we lack the deep expertise that specialists bring to their fields.
• •
  Rapidly Evolving FieldsIn rapidly evolving fields (technology, scientific research, emerging policy areas), our understanding may lag behind the latest developments or expert consensus.

4. Perspective and Demographic Limitations

• •
  Underrepresented CommunitiesWe may miss perspectives from underrepresented communities, marginalized groups, or voices that don't have access to mainstream media platforms. Our sources and networks may not always capture the full diversity of perspectives on an issue.
• •
  Socioeconomic PerspectiveOur team may have socioeconomic backgrounds that shape our perspectives in ways we don't always recognize. We may miss how policies, events, or issues affect people from different economic circumstances.
• •
  Cultural AssumptionsWe may bring cultural assumptions or values to our analysis that are not universal, and we may not always recognize when our perspective is culturally specific rather than objective.

5. Information and Source Limitations

• •
  Available Information ConstraintsOur analysis is constrained by available information and sources. Some information may be classified, proprietary, or simply not yet public. We work with what's available, but we acknowledge that important information may be missing.
• •
  Source ReliabilityWe rely on sources that may have their own biases, limitations, or agendas. While we vet sources and seek multiple perspectives, we may not always identify when sources are unreliable or incomplete.
• •
  Breaking News LimitationsIn breaking news situations, information is often incomplete, conflicting, or evolving rapidly. Our early analysis may miss important details that emerge later.

6. Cognitive and Bias Limitations

• •
  Unconscious BiasesLike all humans, we have unconscious biases that may affect our analysis in ways we don't recognize. We strive to identify and mitigate these biases, but we acknowledge they exist and may influence our work.
• •
  Pattern RecognitionWe look for patterns and connections, but this can sometimes lead us to see patterns that aren't there or miss patterns that are. We may apply frameworks from one context to another where they don't fit.
• •
  Confirmation BiasWe may unconsciously seek information that confirms our existing views and overlook information that challenges them, despite our efforts to be intellectually honest.

7. How We Work to Address Blind Spots

Recognizing blind spots is only the first step. We actively work to address them through:

• •Seeking diverse sources: We actively seek sources, experts, and perspectives from diverse backgrounds, communities, and viewpoints
• •Consulting experts: For specialized topics, we consult with subject matter experts and acknowledge when we're relying on expert analysis
• •Multiple perspectives: We seek to represent multiple viewpoints on contentious issues and steelman opposing positions
• •Acknowledging uncertainty: We use confidence markers and explicitly state what we don't know or where our analysis may be limited
• •Revision and updates: We revise our analysis when new information emerges or when we learn we've missed important perspectives
• •Reader feedback: We actively solicit and incorporate feedback from readers who can help us identify blind spots

8. Invitation for Feedback

We recognize that we may have blind spots we haven't yet identified. We invite readers to help us see what we're missing:

• •If you notice that we've missed an important perspective, source, or consideration, please let us know
• •If you have expertise in an area we've covered and notice errors or gaps, we welcome your input
• •If you represent a community or perspective we haven't adequately represented, we want to hear from you
• •We review all feedback and update our analysis when we identify legitimate blind spots or errors

Please contact us at contact@oapost.com with subject line "Blind Spot Feedback" to share your observations.

9. Process for Updating This Page

This page is a living document that we update as we:

• •Identify new blind spots through self-reflection, feedback, or errors
• •Make progress in addressing existing blind spots (we'll document improvements)
• •Recognize when our coverage has been affected by a blind spot

When we discover that a blind spot has affected our coverage, we will acknowledge it and, when appropriate, correct or update our analysis. Significant instances will be documented in our Changed Minds page.

10. Contact Us

If you'd like to help us identify blind spots or have feedback on this page, please contact us: