Equally, the danger of fuelling your mind with too little scepticism is that you are taken in by everything on a subjective "first listen" and end up buying stuff that in the long term (once its psychological novelty value has worn off) you realise doesn't make the slightest bit of difference.

Then again, auditioning absolutely everything you hear / read something good about also saps the energy somewhat ... the sceptical approach does help to narrow down your shortlist at least.

Anyway, I'm not really trying to argue with you, Paul, I know what you're saying.