Real versus fake

[DavidGYoung]

"If you cannot tell the difference between the real thing and a fake, treat it all as fake."

Is there any sphere where you would, or would not, apply this?

[Athanasius]

I wouldn't apply that anywhere, or its opposite.

[DavidGYoung]

Not even an unsolicited offer of money for old rope?

[Athanasius]

Not even an unsolicited offer of money for old rope?

I'd be suspicious enough to think I could tell the difference.

[Fenris]

"If you cannot tell the difference between the real thing and a fake, treat it all as fake."

Is there any sphere where you would, or would not, apply this?

"fake" "sphere"

I see what you did there.

[tango]

"If you cannot tell the difference between the real thing and a fake, treat it all as fake."

Is there any sphere where you would, or would not, apply this?

I don't see a need to treat things as real or as fake, if I can't tell the difference. There's usually no problem with dropping things into the third option, namely "I don't know" which is sometimes paired with "and I don't care".

If I'm offered something that would be very valuable if it were real and not valuable at all if it were fake, I'd want to verify. In the context of third-hand reports of miracles that allegedly happened in some far-flung location, to someone else, with no way of verifying it, I can quite truly say I don't know if it was real and I don't really care if it was real.

[DavidGYoung]

Fenris: No, I don't get it. Is it a reference to the Flat Earth Society?

[RabbiKnife]

Think Avon

[DavidGYoung]

Avon from Blake's 7?
Avon Cosmetics?
The River Avon?