Reporters and columnists love to use this. It usually goes something like this, “Some say that drinking is bad for you.” Or, “Some say paying taxes is good for your health.”
I’m sure I’ve used it myself, but I try not to. I think readers deserve to know who says it. I’ve started quite a few blog posts to address something ‘some say’, but when I did my research to figure out exactly who said it, I no longer thought it was worth writing about.
Seth, Good point. I learned not to do this when I started writing for Fortune in 1983. The first time I did it, and editor said, “Who said it? I need a cite.” Of course, that was before the web and I couldn’t find a cite. So I dropped it.
Thanks, David.
Pingback: Sachs on Freakonomics | Our Dinner Table
Pingback: “Some Say…” II | Our Dinner Table