It’s certainly true that remarks that formerly would have been private now are made not just public but super-public. But I don’t think we can survive the new transparency if we keep up the same old standards of criticism. I’ve said plenty of stupid things in my life. (Heck, I may be saying one right now.) Most have been in private. Some have been in public. And some things I said in public would look downright dastardly if viewed as isolated sentences. If we’re going to make more of the private public, we also have to give the benefit of the doubt, forgive, and laugh off the occasional offensive and stupid remarks. Otherwise, no one will survive the glare of the public.

Joho the Blog: Transparency and forgiveness: 2/14/05