I think that's a very unusual reading/ interpretation of my previous comment.
At no point did I ever say that applying to a firm that wasn't one's dream firm was wrong: to only apply to one's dream firm would be grossly impractical, I think to presume that this is what I meant is borderline fallacious.
There is a world of difference between applying to multiple firms and having a preference between them versus applying to a regional office of a firm whose London office you'd like to work at and who you've got zero desire to attend notwithstanding the hope that it will somehow put you at an advantage to other candidates who have applied to the London office. One is making a logical series of steps to maximise the chances of securing a job in a crowded market. One is trying to cheat the system at the expense of others. Everyone reading this thread knows that, and you've now been told enough times that you should probably come to the same conclusion.
Even if it weren't morally reprehensible, you've also been told exactly why and how it would fail in practice too. Continuing to be dogmatic about the issue isn't making you look particularly clever or admirable.
