Damage Quote by Tom Wicker
“It's a truism that denials never quite catch up with charges. Honest journalists who may have mistakenly printed false information know that the most prominent retraction never quite undoes the damage done by the original publication.”
About This Quote
Source Article: The New York Times, 1970s (opinion column)
Denials cannot fully erase the impact of false statements once they spread.
In simple terms: False statements leave lasting damage even after retractions.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge errors promptly and mitigate harm.
Themes
media ethics
truth
reputation
accountability
Mood
cautious
reflective
Type
advisory
ethical
When to use this quote
- journalism
- political scandals
- social media misinformation
- legal defamation
Key Concepts
cognitive bias
information cascade
damage control
Questions to Reflect On
- How can institutions rebuild credibility after false reports?
- What mechanisms ensure timely corrections?
A Different Perspective
Retracting may not restore trust; damage can persist.
![“He [John F. Kennedy] might have envisioned himself being "alone, at the top" but, like Woodrow Wilson, he would find out that not even a President moves free of human entanglement, human needs, human illusions; not even a President can be independent of those around him.” quote by Tom Wicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0ec/tom-wicker-42905_entanglement_he-john-f-kennedy-might-have-envisioned_2794897.jpg)
