To Catch a Liar
Lies, lies, tell me sweet little lies.....
Everyone lies. Well, maybe not everyone. I suppose there are those rare few that still never allows a single fib to pass their virtuous lips. White lies, polite lies, forgetful I-didn't-mean-it lies, shouldn't be considered on quite the same level as those falsities meant to hurt, evade, trick or manipulate.
Being lied to is not a pleasant experience, neither is the sometimes irreparable loss of trust that comes with it. Serious implications soon follow and a bond can be forever broken, it can be a very sad and an ultimately heartbreaking experience.
There's very little you can do to stop someone from boldly and blatantly deceiving you, but there are signs to help you decipher and possibly break the LIAR'S CODE.
Dane Cook ~ Lying
Here are possible clues that someone may be lying to you.
Defensiveness ~ Lying usually becomes surrounded by buzz phrases such as "I NEVER", "EVERYTIME I" or "WHEN HAVE I EVER". Such extreme absolutes are tip-offs to impending exaggerated tales, and it's best not to interrupt them, but to allow them speedier access to digging their lovely hole. Crossed arms are also a key indicator as to heightened defenses and a need to subconciously fire up a protective mechanism.
The Fidget ~ Is your suspect having trouble sitting still? Do they flick imaginary cotton from their pants, feel their nose to make sure it's still there or twirl the same piece of hair for the duration of your inquiry? Chances are their body language is on overload. Pointing out that they seem nervous will almost always invoke an angry tirade.
Stalling Hesitation ~ A stalling technique used by the common liar is to fake sudden hearing loss. "What", "Could you repeat the question", or "Ummmmmm". All obvious tactics they believe will buy them that extra 10 seconds to create instant viable masterpieces. Trying to quicken their response will help them "trip" on their words, but once you reach expert status, you may want to ease their pain by allowing the extra moments before dismemberment.
Humor Me ~ Joking sometimes feels necessary to the subject of inquisition. Lightening up the tense atmosphere with the clever one-liners could be their way of taking emphasis off of a truly serious subject. No harm will come, if you so choose to allow them their amateur comedy routine. It may even alleviate the intense pressure of the moment. Two rational minds could even possibly emerge, shedding new light and making it easier to move on.
Telling Eyes ~ The eyes are mirrors and reflect truth or fabrication. When one is looking up and to the right, they are accessing the right side of their brain. The part that holds creativity. They are undoubtedly looking for a little help in coming up with the perfect alibi. When one is looking to the left or down, they are sincerely retrieving their memory for the most honest answer. The main point that should be taking is that it's very difficult for the average liar to hold eye contact. They have an intense fear of their eyes squealing on them.
Concealed True Emotion ~ Facial expression will contradict what was just said. Their face will show signs that they don't even believe what they just said. An example would be that their mouth might smirk, or they desperately try to hide their real feelings and answer you with disgust or muted anger.
First Act ~ Does your liar possess the acting ability of a Shakespearen player? If his or her spiel sounds completely rehearsed, it may be time to call in the hounds.
Stuttttttering ~ One who falls into this clue usually has no problem pronouncing cat or dog, but when in the midst of a tall tale, it becomes frustrating to pull a sentence together. Keep a towel handy for those unavoidable spit balls that are sure to fly.
The Turnaround ~ The liar, especially the better ones, hope desperately to accomplish the turn of the table. If every sentence you attempt to finish is interrupted with it being accusingly turned back on you, it's pretty much the clincher that your liar is preferring an argument as opposed to deadly exposure. Tread lightly here. Aggression should always be avoided.
These are just a few lying clues. Hopefully, you'll never have to deal with a habitual liar, but if you do, you'll at least be better prepared to squash it at onset and avoid any unnecessary aggravation.
