Against the backdrop of the grave academic crisis in China, editors have become the objects of wooing, favor-currying, connections-seeking, and collusions; they have been targeted for attacks, plots, extortions, and encroachments. Editing and publishing have become avenues for academic irregularities and academic corruption. Editors have the power both to check quality and to issue clearances, thus they are both the controllers of quality and the approvers of quality. In face of the degradation of academics, editors have no way to make the right decisions. (Contains 24 notes.) [This article was translated by Ted Wang.]