Chart of the Day: Strategy vs. Execution


Via someone on Twitter whose name I can’t quite dig up from my memory banks, today’s chart of the day follows the declining appreciation of dreary execution relative to showy strategery over the past half century. This happens to be a pet issue of mine, and it also seems apropos in light of the Obamacare website fiasco. Always remember: amateurs talk strategy; professionals talk logistics.

POSTSCRIPT: This chart is, of course, meaningless since both words have multiple meanings. That’s OK. Don’t go all OCD on me. Just savor the alleged cultural evolution and add some humorous and/or bitter observations about it in comments.

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This is how change happens.

One story at a time.

This investigative reporting takes time too. Months of research. Weeks of writing, editing, and fact checking—and putting together the photography, art, video, and audio that tell the stories in a new way, illuminating new perspectives and voices.

We can afford to take our time because we don’t report to oligarchs or corporations. We report to you, and for you.

And the stakes are high. Democracy is on the defense. We’ve been exposing corruption and scandal for five decades, and this is a pivotal moment in our country’s history. Will democracy prevail? We won’t wait for time to tell—independent journalism is essential for democracy, and we’ll keep doing our part to amplify the free press.

So, we’re asking: Will you join the fight? Mother Jones has been here for 50 years, and we need your support to fuel the future of investigative journalism. Mark our 50th anniversary with a gift of any amount.

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