Truth

The author of the Sherlock Holmes Mysteries, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous line was, "Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." And so it goes about the truth. We're taught as children to always be truthful but it doesn't take too long to figure out the truth can sometimes hurt—like a smack on the butt or a good scolding for whatever crime the truth-teller has just owned up to. But being truthful is at the core of trust and it is trust most of us work our whole lives to earn. That said, I think it's important to titrate the truth to fit the situation at hand. Never lie, but sometimes it pays to soften your words. You'd hardly want to crush the spirit of a young child asking for your opinion on her latest crayon creation, and then there's always the potential minefield for unsuspecting blockhead males not thinking through the answer to "how does this dress make me look?" When it comes to audio there is as well a fine line to walk. How could I tell the whole truth of how awful something sounds when the presenter has worked their heart out crafting the masterpiece? I make a point of doing my best to never falsifying anything. I mix this credo with a dash of softness and a sprinkle of surely there has to be something positive to say. And then there's the opposite situation where words aren't adequate to express the truth and beauty of someone's stereo system. The truth cuts in many ways. Never lose sight of it, but like strong medicine, be careful with its application.