Why Would Anyone want to "rake muck?"

When applying to college I decided to declare a Journalism major.  The thought of exposing the truth and being a liaison between the public and everything they wanted to know was something that always appealed to me.  Many of my English teachers encouraged my career choice, saying that if there was anyone for that job it was me.  Writing was more than just a class requirement to me, it was a way to have your voice heard and helping others to gain the information they want.  Muckraking is exactly what investigative journalism is all about, doing the dirty work that many people do not want to do in order to get to the bottom of a situation at hand.  It is definitely more than just writing, it involves a dedication to your topic or subject, and not being afraid to expose the truth no matter who does not like it.  Streitmatter for instance warns his readers that if they want to take a journalistic approach to things there are many things that they must be prepared to deal with.  For example, the ability to stand behind their findings and work even if they are the only ones standing there, they also must not be afraid to "set the agenda"(Streitmatter 257), and even the possibility that they will face much discrimination and criticism.  Pushing the limits and voicing your opinion whether or not people like it is something I find exhilarating and also fun.  This chapter was of great interest to me when deciding which chapter to do for my second blog assignment.