The New York Times bestseller list is labeled incorrectly. Actually, it’s an outright lie.
The bestsellers list doesn’t track the books that have sold the most copies. It turns out that making this list is less about math and more about curation.
“Here are the books and authors that are (pre)selling well, we like, and fit into our view of the world. We think you should read these.”
If you, like me, look at this list to find your next book, how does that make you feel?
The engineer in me is pissed at the blatant truth-bending. Because, of course, the NYT know that they are lying. They could have just as easily and more accurately labeled it “NYT Great Books” list.
But does it matter?
As a younger man, I would definitely have said, “Yes, it matters.” Because that younger me saw the world as black and white, right and wrong, and this is wrong.
The current me, however, is better at understanding the nuance. Understanding the grey. Understanding the importance, purpose, and advantage of the grey.
Does it really matter if the title of this list is bending the truth?
I don’t think so. At least in a case like this. I probably am happier with a curated list anyway.
What if, however, we weren’t talking about books? What if the list was tracking COVID deaths, votes, or taxes?
Sometimes it matters.
