The word 'liar' is used far too often

Let’s say the people of “Salt” and the people of “Sugar” believe differently. A Sugar newscaster reported: “The Salts have a high divorce rate; in fact it is 50 percent.” The Salts replied saying, “We checked and only one in every 10 married men had divorced.”

Obviously they can’t both be correct. But the truth is they each actually were speaking truthfully.

Let me explain using small simple numbers (I could make up large involved numbers if you wish). (I just read the last sentence and it sounded condescending. That means talking down to people. Wink, wink.)

In the land of Salt, a survey of ten men showed that nine had married once each and the tenth married eleven times and divorced all but his current wife. Twenty marriages and ten divorces; the Sugars are correct: there is a 50 percent divorce rate. Using the identical data, the sample of 10 married men and only one had ever experienced divorce; the Salts are also correct.

This was an easily understood example but remember, just because there are those who use complicated looking techniques (or formulas) does not necessarily mean they are correct.

Jerry Maurer