How do I know if what I am hearing is true?
Answer: when the source has no stake in the outcome, or better yet when the source is vested in helping me improve.
This site is anonymous for that reason.
As soon as money or ego or power enters the picture, what you hear is merely informational about the source. The communication has nothing to do with you (except as an opportune target) and everything to do with the source’s desires. Benefit to you is accidental at best.
How can commerce and truth co-exist? Maybe by being straightforward and transparent about motivation?
The reason this matters to me is that I am thinking about an online experiment that is overtly commercial, yet (I hope) will provide information and guidance that can make a life-altering difference to the people I want to help.