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Jan 5, 2023Liked by Antonio Mora

I call it not quite right news. Often if it's a story that I have insider or technical knowledge of, I'll notice that there are small facts that aren't exactly correct. However I've noticed that journalists are thin skinned and get upset when I correct them. Often arguing that it really doesn't matter or isn't a big deal or I'm wrong even if I've offered documentation or a source with the correct info. Journalists need to be open to being corrected and admitting that they've made a mistake

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I agree. BUT some things give me hope. There are still some moments when networks get it right (and I know you agree). Case in point: the ESPN crew Sunday night after Damar Hamlin collapsed kept to the facts, refused to speculate, didn’t hyperventilate. Given that these people are not accustomed to anchoring breaking news catastrophes, I was impressed.

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The same thing has happened to newspapers. The death of the copy desk means that headlines and articles aren't being proofread and fact-checked. It's a sad situation.

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I call the trend “malignant efficiency” and it transcends TV news. Malignant efficiency has metastasized to all industries.

Quality will always be sacrificed at the altar of efficiency. There is no exception to this rule.

If you wanted a filet mignon, do you want it prepared efficiently or perfectly? An artist’s work made efficiently or thoughtfully? If you’re having heart surgery do you want an efficient cardiac surgeon or a meticulous one?

Columns and comments in a substack written efficiently or with careful deliberation?

Efficiency is, and will always be, the enemy of quality. That’s not to say you cannot get some things, like a Toyota, that are produced efficiently and are also of reasonably high quality. But that’s not the norm. And even higher quality would be achieved by Toyota with less efficiency.

High quality is no longer the referendum in any major U.S. industry. Efficiency runs these companies. And I’m not sure the pendulum swings back. Our consumer culture is so efficiently satisfied by low quality products.

That is the problem, malignant efficiency, and it’s a big one.

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