Comment by sublinear

Yes and citations are a matter of quality, not quantity.

The whole point of archiving is so that people can review it later. People living in the future are the vast majority of readership (and no they didn't pay for it).

The article's place in historical context is far more important than the paper itself. Writing that stands the test of time and that gets cited frequently is where all the authority and credibility comes from. It's absurd that the NYT of all places can be this boneheaded, but I guess it's a sign of the times.