The Faded Whistle: How to Spot and Use It in Lies of P
When someone lies, they often use words or phrases that make their story sound more plausible, but these are called "faded whistles" by Sam Levenson in his book "Lies: What Everyone Needs to Know."
Here are some examples of faded whistles to look out for:
- "Well, I mean" – This phrase often indicates that the speaker is not being completely truthful and may be trying to hedge their bets or buy more time to come up with a better story.
- "I don’t remember" – If someone can’t remember details of an event, it could indicate that they are lying about it. However, it’s important to note that memory can be fallible and people may forget things for legitimate reasons.
- "It was an accident" – When someone tries to blame an incident on an accident, it’s often a way to shift responsibility from themselves and cover up their mistake or misdeed.
By being aware of these faded whistles, you can become better at spotting lies and identifying when someone is trying to deceive you. It’s important to stay calm, ask questions, and listen carefully to what the other person is saying in order to deal with lies effectively.
