sooth

You most likely already know today's word; it is both a noun and an adjective, meaning both truth and true. According to dictionary.com, it is also an adjective meaning "soothing, soft, or sweet," and here we have an excellent endorsement for truth as being some miracle balm that will ease all aches and pains. So it may seem suggested, in any case, by the grouping together of such meanings into a single word. I will not become cynical now, and suggest that the truth is not a favorable thing; nor will I suggest that it is not, strictly speaking, the best thing. I believe it is, with very few if any exceptions, the best thing for everyone. I will say, however, that if there is one kind of "goodness" that truth ought not be tied up with, it is pleasure, the removal or easing of pain. The truth, as we all know, hurts. Despite how good it may be for us, despite how much we may need to hear it, the truth is often something we are reluctant to hear if we are looking out for our own comfort, and something we often regret seeking actively. In my opinion, then, "sooth" is wrong to pair pleasure with truth; though individually each is good, more often than not the two stay apart.