Sometimes I think that individual or institutional credibility and integrity rests wholly or in large part on the willingness to say, "I/we fucked up."
What's wrong with "I fucked up?"
In Iran, the news agency Fars admitted that it had screwed the pooch when it published as actual news the spoof statistics of America's satirical "The Onion," which had asserted that rural white Americans "preferred Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Barack Obama."
"FNA makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of its reports, however very occasionally mistakes do happen."
Of course, like other institutions or individuals, Fars then fluttered and waffled and produced extenuating circumstances ... everyone fucks up, right? Look at all the other news organizations that have similarly made mistakes. And the longer the list of extenuating circumstances, the weaker and less credible individuals and institutions become.
What's the matter with "I fucked up," period? No face-saving excuses or explanations ... just straight up and straight across.
OK, it's idealistic.
But still....
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