06
Too good to be true?
The bigger the claim, the bigger the proof it owes you.
Why it's a trap
There's a fake-news detector you already carry around: the feeling of “that's huge”. The remedy that cures everything, the investment with no risk, the revelation that changes everything… These messages share one trait: they promise a lot and prove very little.
Careful. Hugeness alone doesn't condemn a claim: reality is sometimes incredible. It's a matter of proportion: the more extraordinary the claim, the more extraordinary the proof must be. A mundane fact can be taken on trust; a huge one gets checked twice. And if it were true, others would already be saying it (reflex 5).
The moves
- Measure the promise: “everything”, “never”, “100%”, “revolutionary”: the more absolute, the more suspicious.
- Look at the offered proof: one tearful testimonial and three exclamation marks weigh nothing against a huge promise.
- Ask who would gain if it were true… and why nobody else is talking about it.
- Urgency (“last chance”, “before tonight”) exists to stop you from checking: that's precisely the moment to check.
The classic trap
“This trick cuts your electricity bill by 80%: the power companies hate it!” If one simple gesture divided bills by five, your neighbour, your cousin and every newspaper in the country would have been talking about it for years. The general silence answers the question.
Keep in mind
Huge promise, huge proof, or no deal.
Practise this reflex
Cases in the library train precisely this reflex:
- What's off here? (Health & miracle cures)
- What should you check first? (Health & miracle cures)
- What are the traps here? (Health & miracle cures)