It is much better to have a few high-quality backlinks than lots of low-quality backlinks.

This statement is true. Search engines prioritize the quality and relevance of backlinks over their sheer quantity. A few backlinks from authoritative, reputable, and topically relevant websites signal trust and value to search engines, significantly boosting your site's organic ranking. Conversely, a large number of low-quality backlinks, often from spammy or irrelevant sites, can be detrimental. These types of links can trigger penalties from search engines like Google, leading to a decrease in rankings or even de-indexing. Therefore, focusing on earning high-quality, editorial backlinks is a more effective and sustainable SEO strategy.