Definition & Meaning of "take a (long) hard look at something "

What is the origin of the idiom "take a hard look" and when to use it?

The idiom "take a hard look" emerged in mid-20th century America, a time when closer regulation and scrutiny of both government and business was growing, and more objective, data-driven analysis was preferred over superficial evaluations. Drawing from existing expressions like "take a good look" but intensifying the focus on rigorous examination rather than casual observation, the idea of taking a "hard look" implied thoroughly investigating issues critically and unflinchingly, getting down to fine-grained details instead of cursory glimpses, in order to confront tough problems head-on rather than shy away from difficulties uncovered. It appears when surface-level reviews have failed to drive meaningful change or address underlying issues, signaling the need for a more rigorous, critical analysis.