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While all people enjoy good news and gossip, it is accurate news that matters most to society. The desire for factual information is an inseparable component of news and has emerged as the foundation of modern journalism. It is also the foundation upon which people and societies make important decisions and formulate their worldviews. The quality of information is paramount in everything from business and war to personal relationships and the press. The Chinese philosopher Confucius believed that a government required three things to function: weapons, food, and trust. Of the three, however, he said that “without trust we cannot stand.” Consistently factual information builds trust, one of the cornerstones of society.

Excerpted from page 16 of ‘Regret the Error’ by Craig Silverman