If I'd written all the truth I knew for the past ten years, about 600 people -- including me -- would be rotting in prison cells from Rio to Seattle today. Absolute truth is a very rare and dangerous commodity in the context of professional journalism.

Summary

This quote highlights the complex nature of professional journalism, suggesting that sharing every piece of truth could have severe consequences for both the journalist and the subjects involved. The speaker implies that there is a scarcity and risk associated with revealing absolute truth through journalism. It implies that numerous individuals, potentially including the speaker themselves, would have faced imprisonment if they had disclosed all the truths they became aware of in their profession. This quote suggests that journalistic truth may often be diluted or left unsaid to avoid harming individuals or compromising journalistic integrity.

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