Birth of a nova--not?

[Michael McKernan]

James Smith wrote:

>I understand VERISIMILITUDE as fiction created with
>the appearance of truth.  TRUTHINESS strikes me as
>truth diluted with fiction, yet maintaining the
>overall appearance of truth.

Seems to me there's a need to differentiate between fiction and lies, here.
Connecting verismilitude with 'fiction' seems appropriate, since
verismilitude encompasses the possible art/creativity of fiction (imagined
reality).

Truthiness, OTOH, seems to me to be better defined as truth diluted by lies
(i.e., deliberate deception, attempting to conceal or negate 'truth' or
'reality,' rather than artistically or aesthetically attempting to imagine
an alternative, fictional 'reality')... ['yet maintaining the overall
appearance of truth']

Of course, in the context of the comedy show, 'truthiness' is precisely the
sort of artistic or aesthetic endeavor I associate with 'fiction'...

Well, I used enough words trying to express myself accurately (can't very
well say 'clearly,' can I?), that perhaps I've achieved truthifulness.

Michael McKernan

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