Or the lies of a maker about either another maker or another member?

I really am in a unique position. You see, I grew up loving clothes and not really being able to discuss them with my friends. So as a result, I know a lot of makers in NYC. Many of them know my name, many more just know me by sight. I also know a lot more about the industry. More both than I care to know and much more than I ever reveal. But the question is do I have a duty to report? Do any of us have a duty to report?

I suppose I am also unique in another way. I dont do not want to charge for my knowledge, nor do I want to sell anyone anything. Unfortunately, I also don’t always pander to the “Consider me a great guy" scam. Forgive me, it isn’t that I don’t think many of you would be fascinating to meet; it's just that time is tight and I made a decision not to blur the lines. I don’t expect anyone to be thankful about what I offer but at the same time I am not an expert (nor do I want to be), not a public figure and arguably, as far as the community is concerned, not a real person. In spite of my membership with the unpaid press and my anonymity, I have done my utmost to conduct myself responsibly.

I publish essays on things I enjoy on my own time and money. Maybe it sheds light on a subject, maybe it gets in the way of someone else's agenda. I would think the existence of this forum is proof of that. Again, I do these essays, maybe you enjoy them, maybe you don’t. I have extreme opinions for myself but not for others.  But I don’t generally get involved in gossip. I hold my tongue about an awful lot of goings on both first hand and verifiable. And I hear an awful lot of it. But the question is, is my discretion a disservice to you all? If I know something is a bad deal, or a untruth or even a danger, do I have a duty to report it?

Do I for instance need to correct another member's misstatement or produce the other side of the story if I know it? Especially if the other party is unable to defend themselves?

But this extends to everyone; do we as a community have an obligation to correct economical truths or injustices perpetrated on them by makers or even other members of the community?

I have found this to be a vexing moral question of late but rather than take it upon myself to go in a new direction, I wanted some opinions.

Opinions are free and open here. I daresay people have figured out they don’t need to please me. We are not an Eastern despot. You can say whatever you like as long as you are not rude to fellow members. No one has been banned from here yet, as long as it isn’t illegal, I am not afraid of ideas or opinions. I would hope that if nothing else people would extend that I’ve allowed them to feel free and secure here. At most I’ve cleaned up the language or gotten rid of a rude post.

Because there are enough intelligent, independent thinkers, I thought we could discuss this as a group. I haven’t decided for how long Id let this hover here.

Thanks,

FNB