A journalist recently asked me for a comment on why I, as an academic who studies academic publishing, signed a petition calling for the retraction of Mead, Lawrence M., ‘Poverty and Culture’, Society, 2020 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12115-020-00496-1. I wanted to publish my full reasoning here ahead of any publication that might quote me. When I saw this petition circulating, I took time to read the article before signing the petition.