Deck 60: Blogged Down by Lies: the Fall of a Young Talent, Philip Patterson

Question 1

Crowdsourcing a Book: John Lehrer, Bob Dylan and Nonfiction Truth
PHILIP PATTERSON
Oklahoma Christian University
When Jonah Lehrer resigned from The New Yorker in July of 2012, he was the latest young journalist on a professional fast track who had admitted to or was accused of some of journalism's greatest sins: plagiarism, fabrication of quotes and recycling of old material as new. Lehrer's resignation came on the same day that an article in The Tablet, a magazine and online site that promises "a new read on Jewish life" written by Michael Moynihan, accused him of fabrication of quotes in his third book, Imagine: How Creativity Works.
The Tablet piece was the most consequential of a series of events began a month earlier in June of 2012, Lehrer's first day on the staff of The New Yorker. Previously, Lehrer worked as a blogger at Wired magazine (a position he still holds) and as a contributor to NPR, primarily focusing on science journalism. His journalistic reputation was enhanced by the strong reviews of his two previous nonfiction books, How We Decide and Proust Was a Neuroscientist.
In a June 12,2012, post, media blogger Jim Romenesko noted that Lehrer's blog for The New Yorker, titled "Why Smart People Are Stupid," actually included material recycled from a Lehrer post for the October 2012 Wall Street Journal. Within a few hours, New York Magazine's Daily Intel blog had found other instances of self-duplication from Lehrer's writing for Wired, the New York Times Magazine, and other publications. The New Yorker allowed Lehrer to remain on staff. The question of repurposing one's own material was a troubling one, but apparently not professionally fatal.
However, questions by Moynihan cut more deeply. Moynihan, a self-described Bob Dylan fanatic who was also reading Lehrer's Imagine, became more than curious about the Dylan quotes that introduced the book. Lehrer quoted Dylan as saying of the creative process: "It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you've got something to say."
But, Moynihan knew of no such Dylan quote; further investigation could find no corroboration. This was troubling, because everything Dylan has said for publication is available online, and the artist himself is notoriously reluctant to grant additional interviews or to provide explanations for his personal creative process. Moynihan then e-mailed Lehrer, asking him where to find the quotations. About three weeks of increasingly vague explanations followed, all of which Moynihan detailed in his story, which concluded that Lehrer had fabricated the quotes. When Moynihan posted his story, Lehrer knew he would have to provide an explanation not to just to his readers but also to his employers.
The lies are over now. I understand the gravity of my position. I want to apologize to everyone I have let down, especially my editors and readers. I also owe a sincere apology to Mr. Moynihan. I will do my best to correct the record and ensure that my misquotations and mistakes are fixed. I have resigned my position as staff writer at The New Yorker.
New Yorker editor David Remnick said: "This is a terrifically sad situation, but, in the end, what is most important is the integrity of what we publish and what we stand for."
Barnes Noble, Inc. took Imagine out of its inventory and Lehrer's publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, halted shipments of the book and pulled the e-book off the market.
Is Lehrer's religious orientation a factor in www.tabletmag.com pursuing the story? Is his religion relevant to the story?

Answer 1

Analyzing the micro issue on crowdsourcing a book:
The case deals with Mr. JL who had been in the process of publishing books with plagiarism issues, recycling of old material as new, and fabrication of quotes.
At first, Mr. JL did not accept his mistakes. Later, he resigned his job and accepted that he was wrong to the people. Then, the editor had removed all his books and publications that were plagiarized.
Determining if Mr. JL's religious orientation factor pursues the story:
It is determined that Mr. JL's religious orientation is not the fact for pursuing the story. He has just copied the facts and recycled the old material as new one. Hence, the religious orientation factor is not taken into consideration in the story.
Determining if Mr. JL's religion is relevant to the story:
No, "religion" of Mr. JL is considered as irrelevant to the story, as he had not made use of his religion in any of his stories. Moreover, to escape himself from his fraudulent behavior, he has involved the fact of religion.

Question 2

Crowdsourcing a Book: John Lehrer, Bob Dylan and Nonfiction Truth
PHILIP PATTERSON
Oklahoma Christian University
When Jonah Lehrer resigned from The New Yorker in July of 2012, he was the latest young journalist on a professional fast track who had admitted to or was accused of some of journalism's greatest sins: plagiarism, fabrication of quotes and recycling of old material as new. Lehrer's resignation came on the same day that an article in The Tablet, a magazine and online site that promises "a new read on Jewish life" written by Michael Moynihan, accused him of fabrication of quotes in his third book, Imagine: How Creativity Works.
The Tablet piece was the most consequential of a series of events began a month earlier in June of 2012, Lehrer's first day on the staff of The New Yorker. Previously, Lehrer worked as a blogger at Wired magazine (a position he still holds) and as a contributor to NPR, primarily focusing on science journalism. His journalistic reputation was enhanced by the strong reviews of his two previous nonfiction books, How We Decide and Proust Was a Neuroscientist.
In a June 12,2012, post, media blogger Jim Romenesko noted that Lehrer's blog for The New Yorker, titled "Why Smart People Are Stupid," actually included material recycled from a Lehrer post for the October 2012 Wall Street Journal. Within a few hours, New York Magazine's Daily Intel blog had found other instances of self-duplication from Lehrer's writing for Wired, the New York Times Magazine, and other publications. The New Yorker allowed Lehrer to remain on staff. The question of repurposing one's own material was a troubling one, but apparently not professionally fatal.
However, questions by Moynihan cut more deeply. Moynihan, a self-described Bob Dylan fanatic who was also reading Lehrer's Imagine, became more than curious about the Dylan quotes that introduced the book. Lehrer quoted Dylan as saying of the creative process: "It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you've got something to say."
But, Moynihan knew of no such Dylan quote; further investigation could find no corroboration. This was troubling, because everything Dylan has said for publication is available online, and the artist himself is notoriously reluctant to grant additional interviews or to provide explanations for his personal creative process. Moynihan then e-mailed Lehrer, asking him where to find the quotations. About three weeks of increasingly vague explanations followed, all of which Moynihan detailed in his story, which concluded that Lehrer had fabricated the quotes. When Moynihan posted his story, Lehrer knew he would have to provide an explanation not to just to his readers but also to his employers.
The lies are over now. I understand the gravity of my position. I want to apologize to everyone I have let down, especially my editors and readers. I also owe a sincere apology to Mr. Moynihan. I will do my best to correct the record and ensure that my misquotations and mistakes are fixed. I have resigned my position as staff writer at The New Yorker.
New Yorker editor David Remnick said: "This is a terrifically sad situation, but, in the end, what is most important is the integrity of what we publish and what we stand for."
Barnes Noble, Inc. took Imagine out of its inventory and Lehrer's publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, halted shipments of the book and pulled the e-book off the market.
One of the things the Internet has promoted is the development of a "personal brand." How does Lehrer's career reflect this "individual branding" strategy? What are the foreseeable ethical problems for journalists who attempt to create their own brands? For the media outlets that employ them?

Answer 2

Analyzing the midrange issue on crowdsourcing a book:
The case deals with Mr. JL who had been in the process of publishing books with plagiarism issues, recycling of old material as new, and fabrication of quotes.
At first, Mr. JL did not accept his mistakes. Later, he resigned his job and accepted that he was wrong to the people. Then, the editor had removed all his books and publications that were plagiarized.
Reflection of Mr. JL's career on individual branding strategy:
It is clear that Mr. JL has not focused much on the branding strategy nor his future career. If he would have thought about his career, then the branding strategy will be perfect for him. While considering about the branding strategy, Mr. JL should not have committed mistakes on plagiarism and other copyright issues.
The following are the foreseeable ethical problems for journalists who attempt to create their own brands:
The journalists must be careful enough about the plagiarism issues. They must see that they do not commit any copyright issue. In addition, the journalists must create a brand name that is new and unexpected by the audience.
The following are the ethical problems for media outlets that employ them:
If the journalists commit any mistake on the copyright issue, then the media outlets will be held responsible. They will be asked to give reasons for the mistake committed as it happened in the given case.

Question 3

Crowdsourcing a Book: John Lehrer, Bob Dylan and Nonfiction Truth
PHILIP PATTERSON
Oklahoma Christian University
When Jonah Lehrer resigned from The New Yorker in July of 2012, he was the latest young journalist on a professional fast track who had admitted to or was accused of some of journalism's greatest sins: plagiarism, fabrication of quotes and recycling of old material as new. Lehrer's resignation came on the same day that an article in The Tablet, a magazine and online site that promises "a new read on Jewish life" written by Michael Moynihan, accused him of fabrication of quotes in his third book, Imagine: How Creativity Works.
The Tablet piece was the most consequential of a series of events began a month earlier in June of 2012, Lehrer's first day on the staff of The New Yorker. Previously, Lehrer worked as a blogger at Wired magazine (a position he still holds) and as a contributor to NPR, primarily focusing on science journalism. His journalistic reputation was enhanced by the strong reviews of his two previous nonfiction books, How We Decide and Proust Was a Neuroscientist.
In a June 12,2012, post, media blogger Jim Romenesko noted that Lehrer's blog for The New Yorker, titled "Why Smart People Are Stupid," actually included material recycled from a Lehrer post for the October 2012 Wall Street Journal. Within a few hours, New York Magazine's Daily Intel blog had found other instances of self-duplication from Lehrer's writing for Wired, the New York Times Magazine, and other publications. The New Yorker allowed Lehrer to remain on staff. The question of repurposing one's own material was a troubling one, but apparently not professionally fatal.
However, questions by Moynihan cut more deeply. Moynihan, a self-described Bob Dylan fanatic who was also reading Lehrer's Imagine, became more than curious about the Dylan quotes that introduced the book. Lehrer quoted Dylan as saying of the creative process: "It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you've got something to say."
But, Moynihan knew of no such Dylan quote; further investigation could find no corroboration. This was troubling, because everything Dylan has said for publication is available online, and the artist himself is notoriously reluctant to grant additional interviews or to provide explanations for his personal creative process. Moynihan then e-mailed Lehrer, asking him where to find the quotations. About three weeks of increasingly vague explanations followed, all of which Moynihan detailed in his story, which concluded that Lehrer had fabricated the quotes. When Moynihan posted his story, Lehrer knew he would have to provide an explanation not to just to his readers but also to his employers.
The lies are over now. I understand the gravity of my position. I want to apologize to everyone I have let down, especially my editors and readers. I also owe a sincere apology to Mr. Moynihan. I will do my best to correct the record and ensure that my misquotations and mistakes are fixed. I have resigned my position as staff writer at The New Yorker.
New Yorker editor David Remnick said: "This is a terrifically sad situation, but, in the end, what is most important is the integrity of what we publish and what we stand for."
Barnes Noble, Inc. took Imagine out of its inventory and Lehrer's publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, halted shipments of the book and pulled the e-book off the market.
Can all journalists now expect to be "crowdsourced" in the way that Lehrer was? What are the potential implications of crowdsourcing for these purposes? How much impact should crowdsourcing have on specific journalistic projects? Are there limits to crowdsourcing?

Answer 3

Analyzing the macro issue on crowdsourcing a book:
The case deals with Mr. JL who had been in the process of publishing books with plagiarism issues, recycling of old material as new, and fabrication of quotes.
At first, Mr. JL did not accept his mistakes. Later, he resigned his job and accepted that he was wrong to the people. Then, the editor had removed all his books and publications that were plagiarized.
Determining if all the journalists can be expected to be crowdsourced as Mr. JL:
It is unfair to assume all the journalists to be crowdsourced like Mr. JL because there are journalists who want to prove themselves. There are people who prove their own work and come up in their lives. They do not copy any work from other sources. They use their own brain to frame sentences. Hence, not every journalist can be said as crowdsourced.
Determining the amount of impact, that crowdsourcing must have on specific journalistic projects and its limits:
It is considered better to avoid crowdsourcing. The journalists must see that that they publish their own works without plagiarizing the works of others. There are no limits to crowdsourcing but it is advisable to avoid it completely. The journalists should keep in mind that they are not involving themselves in the process of crowdsourcing.
If a journalist is caught due to crowdsourcing, then his name and fame might be completely lost. Hence, it is ethical to avoid crowdsourcing.

Question 4

Crowdsourcing a Book: John Lehrer, Bob Dylan and Nonfiction Truth
PHILIP PATTERSON
Oklahoma Christian University
When Jonah Lehrer resigned from The New Yorker in July of 2012, he was the latest young journalist on a professional fast track who had admitted to or was accused of some of journalism's greatest sins: plagiarism, fabrication of quotes and recycling of old material as new. Lehrer's resignation came on the same day that an article in The Tablet, a magazine and online site that promises "a new read on Jewish life" written by Michael Moynihan, accused him of fabrication of quotes in his third book, Imagine: How Creativity Works.
The Tablet piece was the most consequential of a series of events began a month earlier in June of 2012, Lehrer's first day on the staff of The New Yorker. Previously, Lehrer worked as a blogger at Wired magazine (a position he still holds) and as a contributor to NPR, primarily focusing on science journalism. His journalistic reputation was enhanced by the strong reviews of his two previous nonfiction books, How We Decide and Proust Was a Neuroscientist.
In a June 12,2012, post, media blogger Jim Romenesko noted that Lehrer's blog for The New Yorker, titled "Why Smart People Are Stupid," actually included material recycled from a Lehrer post for the October 2012 Wall Street Journal. Within a few hours, New York Magazine's Daily Intel blog had found other instances of self-duplication from Lehrer's writing for Wired, the New York Times Magazine, and other publications. The New Yorker allowed Lehrer to remain on staff. The question of repurposing one's own material was a troubling one, but apparently not professionally fatal.
However, questions by Moynihan cut more deeply. Moynihan, a self-described Bob Dylan fanatic who was also reading Lehrer's Imagine, became more than curious about the Dylan quotes that introduced the book. Lehrer quoted Dylan as saying of the creative process: "It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you've got something to say."
But, Moynihan knew of no such Dylan quote; further investigation could find no corroboration. This was troubling, because everything Dylan has said for publication is available online, and the artist himself is notoriously reluctant to grant additional interviews or to provide explanations for his personal creative process. Moynihan then e-mailed Lehrer, asking him where to find the quotations. About three weeks of increasingly vague explanations followed, all of which Moynihan detailed in his story, which concluded that Lehrer had fabricated the quotes. When Moynihan posted his story, Lehrer knew he would have to provide an explanation not to just to his readers but also to his employers.
The lies are over now. I understand the gravity of my position. I want to apologize to everyone I have let down, especially my editors and readers. I also owe a sincere apology to Mr. Moynihan. I will do my best to correct the record and ensure that my misquotations and mistakes are fixed. I have resigned my position as staff writer at The New Yorker.
New Yorker editor David Remnick said: "This is a terrifically sad situation, but, in the end, what is most important is the integrity of what we publish and what we stand for."
Barnes Noble, Inc. took Imagine out of its inventory and Lehrer's publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, halted shipments of the book and pulled the e-book off the market.
Lehrer was 31 at the time of the scandal. One of his defenders suggested that these were the mistakes of youth and inexperience. Evaluate this comment.

Question 5

Crowdsourcing a Book: John Lehrer, Bob Dylan and Nonfiction Truth
PHILIP PATTERSON
Oklahoma Christian University
When Jonah Lehrer resigned from The New Yorker in July of 2012, he was the latest young journalist on a professional fast track who had admitted to or was accused of some of journalism's greatest sins: plagiarism, fabrication of quotes and recycling of old material as new. Lehrer's resignation came on the same day that an article in The Tablet, a magazine and online site that promises "a new read on Jewish life" written by Michael Moynihan, accused him of fabrication of quotes in his third book, Imagine: How Creativity Works.
The Tablet piece was the most consequential of a series of events began a month earlier in June of 2012, Lehrer's first day on the staff of The New Yorker. Previously, Lehrer worked as a blogger at Wired magazine (a position he still holds) and as a contributor to NPR, primarily focusing on science journalism. His journalistic reputation was enhanced by the strong reviews of his two previous nonfiction books, How We Decide and Proust Was a Neuroscientist.
In a June 12,2012, post, media blogger Jim Romenesko noted that Lehrer's blog for The New Yorker, titled "Why Smart People Are Stupid," actually included material recycled from a Lehrer post for the October 2012 Wall Street Journal. Within a few hours, New York Magazine's Daily Intel blog had found other instances of self-duplication from Lehrer's writing for Wired, the New York Times Magazine, and other publications. The New Yorker allowed Lehrer to remain on staff. The question of repurposing one's own material was a troubling one, but apparently not professionally fatal.
However, questions by Moynihan cut more deeply. Moynihan, a self-described Bob Dylan fanatic who was also reading Lehrer's Imagine, became more than curious about the Dylan quotes that introduced the book. Lehrer quoted Dylan as saying of the creative process: "It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you've got something to say."
But, Moynihan knew of no such Dylan quote; further investigation could find no corroboration. This was troubling, because everything Dylan has said for publication is available online, and the artist himself is notoriously reluctant to grant additional interviews or to provide explanations for his personal creative process. Moynihan then e-mailed Lehrer, asking him where to find the quotations. About three weeks of increasingly vague explanations followed, all of which Moynihan detailed in his story, which concluded that Lehrer had fabricated the quotes. When Moynihan posted his story, Lehrer knew he would have to provide an explanation not to just to his readers but also to his employers.
The lies are over now. I understand the gravity of my position. I want to apologize to everyone I have let down, especially my editors and readers. I also owe a sincere apology to Mr. Moynihan. I will do my best to correct the record and ensure that my misquotations and mistakes are fixed. I have resigned my position as staff writer at The New Yorker.
New Yorker editor David Remnick said: "This is a terrifically sad situation, but, in the end, what is most important is the integrity of what we publish and what we stand for."
Barnes Noble, Inc. took Imagine out of its inventory and Lehrer's publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, halted shipments of the book and pulled the e-book off the market.
Is there a difference in Lehrer passing off his old work as new and passing off someone else's writing as his own?

Question 6

Crowdsourcing a Book: John Lehrer, Bob Dylan and Nonfiction Truth
PHILIP PATTERSON
Oklahoma Christian University
When Jonah Lehrer resigned from The New Yorker in July of 2012, he was the latest young journalist on a professional fast track who had admitted to or was accused of some of journalism's greatest sins: plagiarism, fabrication of quotes and recycling of old material as new. Lehrer's resignation came on the same day that an article in The Tablet, a magazine and online site that promises "a new read on Jewish life" written by Michael Moynihan, accused him of fabrication of quotes in his third book, Imagine: How Creativity Works.
The Tablet piece was the most consequential of a series of events began a month earlier in June of 2012, Lehrer's first day on the staff of The New Yorker. Previously, Lehrer worked as a blogger at Wired magazine (a position he still holds) and as a contributor to NPR, primarily focusing on science journalism. His journalistic reputation was enhanced by the strong reviews of his two previous nonfiction books, How We Decide and Proust Was a Neuroscientist.
In a June 12,2012, post, media blogger Jim Romenesko noted that Lehrer's blog for The New Yorker, titled "Why Smart People Are Stupid," actually included material recycled from a Lehrer post for the October 2012 Wall Street Journal. Within a few hours, New York Magazine's Daily Intel blog had found other instances of self-duplication from Lehrer's writing for Wired, the New York Times Magazine, and other publications. The New Yorker allowed Lehrer to remain on staff. The question of repurposing one's own material was a troubling one, but apparently not professionally fatal.
However, questions by Moynihan cut more deeply. Moynihan, a self-described Bob Dylan fanatic who was also reading Lehrer's Imagine, became more than curious about the Dylan quotes that introduced the book. Lehrer quoted Dylan as saying of the creative process: "It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you've got something to say."
But, Moynihan knew of no such Dylan quote; further investigation could find no corroboration. This was troubling, because everything Dylan has said for publication is available online, and the artist himself is notoriously reluctant to grant additional interviews or to provide explanations for his personal creative process. Moynihan then e-mailed Lehrer, asking him where to find the quotations. About three weeks of increasingly vague explanations followed, all of which Moynihan detailed in his story, which concluded that Lehrer had fabricated the quotes. When Moynihan posted his story, Lehrer knew he would have to provide an explanation not to just to his readers but also to his employers.
The lies are over now. I understand the gravity of my position. I want to apologize to everyone I have let down, especially my editors and readers. I also owe a sincere apology to Mr. Moynihan. I will do my best to correct the record and ensure that my misquotations and mistakes are fixed. I have resigned my position as staff writer at The New Yorker.
New Yorker editor David Remnick said: "This is a terrifically sad situation, but, in the end, what is most important is the integrity of what we publish and what we stand for."
Barnes Noble, Inc. took Imagine out of its inventory and Lehrer's publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, halted shipments of the book and pulled the e-book off the market.
The deceptions of Jonah Lehrer were unearthed by a minor publication and Web site. Why do you think that larger, more mainstream outlets did not discover and advance the story in June and July of 2012?

Question 7

Crowdsourcing a Book: John Lehrer, Bob Dylan and Nonfiction Truth
PHILIP PATTERSON
Oklahoma Christian University
When Jonah Lehrer resigned from The New Yorker in July of 2012, he was the latest young journalist on a professional fast track who had admitted to or was accused of some of journalism's greatest sins: plagiarism, fabrication of quotes and recycling of old material as new. Lehrer's resignation came on the same day that an article in The Tablet, a magazine and online site that promises "a new read on Jewish life" written by Michael Moynihan, accused him of fabrication of quotes in his third book, Imagine: How Creativity Works.
The Tablet piece was the most consequential of a series of events began a month earlier in June of 2012, Lehrer's first day on the staff of The New Yorker. Previously, Lehrer worked as a blogger at Wired magazine (a position he still holds) and as a contributor to NPR, primarily focusing on science journalism. His journalistic reputation was enhanced by the strong reviews of his two previous nonfiction books, How We Decide and Proust Was a Neuroscientist.
In a June 12,2012, post, media blogger Jim Romenesko noted that Lehrer's blog for The New Yorker, titled "Why Smart People Are Stupid," actually included material recycled from a Lehrer post for the October 2012 Wall Street Journal. Within a few hours, New York Magazine's Daily Intel blog had found other instances of self-duplication from Lehrer's writing for Wired, the New York Times Magazine, and other publications. The New Yorker allowed Lehrer to remain on staff. The question of repurposing one's own material was a troubling one, but apparently not professionally fatal.
However, questions by Moynihan cut more deeply. Moynihan, a self-described Bob Dylan fanatic who was also reading Lehrer's Imagine, became more than curious about the Dylan quotes that introduced the book. Lehrer quoted Dylan as saying of the creative process: "It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you've got something to say."
But, Moynihan knew of no such Dylan quote; further investigation could find no corroboration. This was troubling, because everything Dylan has said for publication is available online, and the artist himself is notoriously reluctant to grant additional interviews or to provide explanations for his personal creative process. Moynihan then e-mailed Lehrer, asking him where to find the quotations. About three weeks of increasingly vague explanations followed, all of which Moynihan detailed in his story, which concluded that Lehrer had fabricated the quotes. When Moynihan posted his story, Lehrer knew he would have to provide an explanation not to just to his readers but also to his employers.
The lies are over now. I understand the gravity of my position. I want to apologize to everyone I have let down, especially my editors and readers. I also owe a sincere apology to Mr. Moynihan. I will do my best to correct the record and ensure that my misquotations and mistakes are fixed. I have resigned my position as staff writer at The New Yorker.
New Yorker editor David Remnick said: "This is a terrifically sad situation, but, in the end, what is most important is the integrity of what we publish and what we stand for."
Barnes Noble, Inc. took Imagine out of its inventory and Lehrer's publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, halted shipments of the book and pulled the e-book off the market.
Five of the blogs that were self-plagiarized are still on The New Yorker Web site along with an editorial note that the work had been published elsewhere and providing readers with information on how to find the passages. Should The New Yorker have simply deleted the posts?

Question 8

Crowdsourcing a Book: John Lehrer, Bob Dylan and Nonfiction Truth
PHILIP PATTERSON
Oklahoma Christian University
When Jonah Lehrer resigned from The New Yorker in July of 2012, he was the latest young journalist on a professional fast track who had admitted to or was accused of some of journalism's greatest sins: plagiarism, fabrication of quotes and recycling of old material as new. Lehrer's resignation came on the same day that an article in The Tablet, a magazine and online site that promises "a new read on Jewish life" written by Michael Moynihan, accused him of fabrication of quotes in his third book, Imagine: How Creativity Works.
The Tablet piece was the most consequential of a series of events began a month earlier in June of 2012, Lehrer's first day on the staff of The New Yorker. Previously, Lehrer worked as a blogger at Wired magazine (a position he still holds) and as a contributor to NPR, primarily focusing on science journalism. His journalistic reputation was enhanced by the strong reviews of his two previous nonfiction books, How We Decide and Proust Was a Neuroscientist.
In a June 12,2012, post, media blogger Jim Romenesko noted that Lehrer's blog for The New Yorker, titled "Why Smart People Are Stupid," actually included material recycled from a Lehrer post for the October 2012 Wall Street Journal. Within a few hours, New York Magazine's Daily Intel blog had found other instances of self-duplication from Lehrer's writing for Wired, the New York Times Magazine, and other publications. The New Yorker allowed Lehrer to remain on staff. The question of repurposing one's own material was a troubling one, but apparently not professionally fatal.
However, questions by Moynihan cut more deeply. Moynihan, a self-described Bob Dylan fanatic who was also reading Lehrer's Imagine, became more than curious about the Dylan quotes that introduced the book. Lehrer quoted Dylan as saying of the creative process: "It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you've got something to say."
But, Moynihan knew of no such Dylan quote; further investigation could find no corroboration. This was troubling, because everything Dylan has said for publication is available online, and the artist himself is notoriously reluctant to grant additional interviews or to provide explanations for his personal creative process. Moynihan then e-mailed Lehrer, asking him where to find the quotations. About three weeks of increasingly vague explanations followed, all of which Moynihan detailed in his story, which concluded that Lehrer had fabricated the quotes. When Moynihan posted his story, Lehrer knew he would have to provide an explanation not to just to his readers but also to his employers.
The lies are over now. I understand the gravity of my position. I want to apologize to everyone I have let down, especially my editors and readers. I also owe a sincere apology to Mr. Moynihan. I will do my best to correct the record and ensure that my misquotations and mistakes are fixed. I have resigned my position as staff writer at The New Yorker.
New Yorker editor David Remnick said: "This is a terrifically sad situation, but, in the end, what is most important is the integrity of what we publish and what we stand for."
Barnes Noble, Inc. took Imagine out of its inventory and Lehrer's publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, halted shipments of the book and pulled the e-book off the market.
By taking Imagine (called a "runaway best seller" by the New York Times ) off the market, Barnes Noble is denying the public a chance to read a book on creativity that got some solid reviews in major publications. Should B N allow its patrons to make their own judgment?