February Newsletter: Just a Thought

Deception in Everyday Words

Hey everyone,

Welcome to the February newsletter, where we're diving deep into the fascinating world of deceptive language.

Just a Word (and a Whole Lot More)

In a recent episode, I dissected the language of Belle Gibson, the infamous wellness hoaxer. To pull off such a massive deception, Belle had to be a skilled liar. Interestingly, on the surface, her words often seemed harmless. But dig a little deeper, and the deception is there, lurking beneath the surface.

Like so many liars, Belle used the word "just." I often highlight this word in my breakdowns – it's not a guaranteed sign of dishonesty, but it frequently pops up in deceptive statements.

Here's Belle in action: "It's just very scary, to be honest. Because you start to doubt the crux of things that make up who you are." (Bonus points for the "to be honest" thrown in for good measure!)

Another master of deception is Sheri Pappini, who famously faked her own abduction. When questioned by law enforcement, she became defensive and, you guessed it, used "just": "I don't know. I’m-I’m so nervous of like saying something that's not going to be right. So I-I just can't remember. I don’t know.”

To prove the theory, Sheri could remember and Belle wasn’t only scared about doubt, she knew the truth too.

This brings me to a more mundane, yet equally revealing, story. An "influencer" caught speeding claimed in court that losing her license would cause significant hardship. Let's look at a couple of her quotes:

"I have had a look into getting taxis and trains but it would just be really challenging for me."

"It is not an excuse but when the speeding offence happened it was just a difficult time. I had taken the children to my mother-in-law, which is about an hour's drive away and they had been arguing and fighting in the car. They did not want me to leave. I was not focused.”

Notice the "just" popping up again? She's using it to narrow our focus, diverting attention from other possibilities. She wants us to think about the challenges of public transport, not the feasibility. In the second quote, "just" minimises everything else going on as she was speeding, shifting blame to a "difficult time."

This simple word, "just," appears time and time again in deceptive language. It's a subtle but powerful tool for manipulating perception.

(Full influencer story here)

Doubt Everything (Especially on Social Media)

Social media is a goldmine for studying deceptive language. I recently took part in this gem: "No doubts as far as I know," followed by knowledge of "doubts raised." Contradictions are a huge red flag for deception. Can you spot any other warning signs? I also noticed the original post was framed as a question ("why is that?"), suggesting a lack of conviction masked as inquiry.

Speaking of Which…

As I mentioned last time, misinformation on social media often takes the form of leading questions based on hearsay. Here are a couple more examples I've spotted recently. Keep your eyes peeled – they're everywhere!

The Prince of Deception (and His Word Choices)

Prince Andrew continues to dominate the headlines, providing endless examples of how seemingly innocuous words can be deceptive. He recently claimed he had "never" had any contact with Brian Epstein after a certain point. That word, "never," is a huge red flag for me. I have a few theories about why liars use it, and like "just," it's often a sign of deception.

Anyway, we found out that Andrew and Epstein did indeed have contact beyond this “never”.

Justin in the Basement (and His Hurt Feelings)

My recent episode on Justin Baldoni highlighted some interesting language choices.

Here’s another example as describes being relegated to the basement with his family during an event, saying it "could have been one of the most beautiful nights of my life, career-wise." He then added, "We start laughing because of the ridiculousness of this whole thing...we were all joyful and laughing because none of that shit matters."

While he tries to project an image of nonchalance, his words betray his true feelings. "Could have been" and "supposed to be materialistically joyful" suggest the experience was anything but and his use of “could” and “should” show this concept is high in his mind. Justin’s bravado rings hollow, revealing that the snub clearly stung.

You might be saying at this point “of course it hurt, why are you picking on him for this?”. Because this is the language of manipulation, he’s using his words in an attempt to manipulate the image of him being a winner while trying to hide his true feelings.

Competition Time!

Huge thanks to everyone who entered the "win your own episode" competition! The winner is Lisa, who suggested the fascinating case of Melinda and Trenton Duckett. I'm already working on it, and the episode should be out in the next few weeks (unless Justin Baldoni says something else noteworthy!).

Finally…

Thank you for subscribing! This newsletter is free and will remain so. It takes time and effort to put together, so if you enjoy it, please consider sharing it with a friend or mentioning it to someone. Help me spread the word and empower people to hear and read more critically. Even a simple conversation about "just," "never," or Justin Baldoni could make a difference.

And if you spot a content creator who could benefit from this type of analysis in their coverage, send them my way!

Until next month, take care.

Jack