True things

[Fluks, H.W.]

People seem to use the word "true" in a way I don't understand. First, Rob
Klein:

> most of
> the nations represented by DCML are not "true democracies"; but are at
> least (in most cases) representative governments.

I guess I shouldn't consider this as "my country is better than yours",
since I don't know if Rob thinks the USA is a "true democracy". But I still
don't know what a "true democracy" might be...


And then John Garvin:

> If
> you are a collector, what does it mean to have a "collection" 
> of comics you downloaded and
> printed yourself?  Will these things ever have true collector 
> value?  I doubt it.

I guess, in this case, "true collector value" means "money".
I collect the *stories* in order to *enjoy* them (and brag about them to
others). Not to *sell* them at any point. So that means I am not a true
collector? (Or my collection has no "true collector value"?) To me, I am
(and it does).

> [someone's] remarks remind
> me very much of a college writing instructor who returns a 
> paper fully marked up with spelling
> and grammar mistakes, but no comments as to the substance of 
> the essay.

A factual error is something different from a spelling mistake. And noting
that doesn't necessarily disturb a discussion (especially on a mailing
list). As long as noone sees it as a personal attack.

--Harry.
(A false collector from a false democracy)