Editing: ‘One of the great inventions of civilization’

That terrific line is found in James Fallows’ ode to the wonderful, terrible world of online journalism in the April issue of The Atlantic:

“It’s not so much that American public life is more idiotic,” Jill Lepore said, referring to both press coverage and the public discussion it spawns. “It’s that so much more of American life is public. I think that goes a long way to explaining what seems to be a ‘decline.’ Everything is documented, and little of it is edited. Editing is one of the great inventions of civilization.”

I wish to associate myself with Jill Lepore’s remarks.