Truth and stories

After reading some media stories on a book author who wasn't particularly truthful in his memoirs, I dredged up a few thoughts I had composed on the topic of Truth. Here they are...

Truth? It is my firm conviction (well, suspicion) that most people in America today (and maybe elsewhere as well), would much rather hear a "good" story contrived from half-truths or worse than listen to boring, factual truth.

The taller and wilder the tale, the more eager the audience will be to hear it.

Much of what we call "truth" is rather subjective anyway, with different constituencies emphasizing different aspects in their own mythology of the actual facts. Hard, cold, objective "truth" is both hard to come by and frequently difficult to accept, or at least boring to hear through all the minute details.

I suspect that for many people, truth is anything that confirms and reinforces cherished beliefs.

Me? Give me facts, give me data, give me the raw data, with as little subjective analysis as possible. Let me figure out and decide for myself what The Truth really is.

Sure, you can give me your opinions as well, but give me at least a few references to the actual data.

-- Jack Krupansky