A primer on truthtellers v.s. liars

[ginnyinWI]

My daughter left a book at my house about Liars--how to tell who is lying and who is truthful. I thought it would be interesting to know some of the signs when listening to a politician speak. While a lot of the book is devoted to verbal clues, there are visual ones as well. Allow me to illustrate:

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A truthteller looks you in the eye when they speak. A liar will look down or to the side.

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When a sincere person smiles, their whole face lights up. When a person is putting on a fake smile, the mouth is tight, and there is no movement in the eyes or forehead.

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A truthteller takes up a lot of space when they talk: they use a lot of hand and arm gestures, hold their fingers open. They will touch their chest with an open-handed gesture. Liars tend to lack movement, or make gestures that don't seem natural. They keep their arms close to their bodies, cross their legs, clench fists.

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A truthteller will hold their palms up, as if to say, "I have nothing to hide". A liar will hold palms or hands down defensively.

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Normally, putting the hands to the face, covering the mouth, rubbing eyes are signs of lying. But this should NOT be confused with a posture of deep thought, which in addition, conveys concentration and attention.

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A truthteller often points their finger either at others or straight up in the air, to underscore their point; this indicates conviction and authority. A liar rarely points a finger.

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A sincere person moves their head toward the person they are speaking with. A guilty person moves their head away from the person.



A truthteller stands or sits up straight. A liar stands or sits hunched over, protecting themselves.

Here is scientific proof, as if we needed any, that John Kerry is a sincere, truthtelling person! :) :) :)

[whometense]

1. Ginny,

that was just GREAT! Love it. Who wrote the book?

[ginnyinWI]

2. It's called

"Never be Lied to Again", by David J. Lieberman, PhD. It was a NYTimes bestseller, it says--1998.

There are so, so many examples of JK being truthful and sincere--I had little trouble finding examples. The exception is the open hand to the chest-- I KNOW he does that, but just couldn't find an example. :) I could have found liars,too, but we don't need to see them in this forum!

[ginnyinWI]

3. oh and I have another comment about the first picture

Here, JK is not only looking directly at the other guy, he's pointing at him! And the other guy is smiling and has his hands folded neatly in his lap--that's a sign of being willing to please. So guess who's in charge and dominating that exchange!

[karynnj]

4. This is so great

This might explain why some people believed him before they had a chance to read enough about him to know that his record also shows a very truthful person.

Your examples are great - both as examples and as Kerry pictures. I loved the last one (Bush is so hunched over it almost looks like someone played with the photo and moved his head. Kerry looks positively elegant next to him in the photos.) Not only looking directly at people - Kerry's eyes also looked so focused, deep and unguarded when he spoke directly to people. (Clinton's eyes, on the other hand, often seemed to somewhat squint as he made a point.)

That picture is interesting because it was (I'm pretty sure) from the ME tour after he lost the election. That he's in charge has to be based mostly on his vision and the things he was saying - not because he was the President, who favor (or disfavor could have a major impact.)

[ginnyinWI]

6. those are some of my favorites

I already had them ready to use! :)

Remember in the debates how Kerry stood so ramrod straight (military), and was such a contrast to the chimp, all hunched over his podium, that people really noticed. And how on Saturday Night Live they lampooned JK's many hand gestures at the debates. But that is a sign of truthtelling!
You're right: people do get a lot of messages from these non-verbal signals. At that town hall meeting debate, JK was so debonair, looking so at ease as he sat on his chair, while chimp was like a bull in a china shop, charging around. I guess each one appealed to their base. I don't see how the GOP voters could have been as turned off of JK and his mannerisms as we all were by the chimp's.

Yes the first pic is from the ME tour--the other guy is an Israeli leader, I think--sorry I'm not up on all of my Mid-East leaders. But he obviously had a lot of respect for JK.

[TayTay]

9. Ahm, It's ahm, King Hussein of Jordan

I, ahm, honestly, ahm, reocognized his from, ahm, the flag. (Oh dear Lord, I can't believe I knew the Jordanian flag colors. But I did. I think I desperately need that Scottish vacation round about now.)

Ahm, I have finally outwonked myself. Recognizing someone from their flag. I am now terminally wonky.

[politicasista]

5. Pictures don't lie

Thanks for the post and pics ginny. :hi:

[PresidentObama]

7. Thanks for the post Ginny

But I could have told you Kerry was a truthteller. Honest Abe has nothing on Senator Kerry. :)

[DoBotherMe]

8. I try not to be a lech ... but dawg

JK makes me swoon. I scroll down the list of pix...and with each one my breathing increases, my head tingles, and my ears ring, and my stomach flips. What the hell? I rarely post about how his intelligence has affected me because I can't get past the physical attraction. I think the guy is perfect in every way. Dana ; )

[TayTay]

11. Well, I notice that too!

I mean that pic with him sitting with his head in his hands and the intense look on concentration on his face. (Ooooh!) That was from the Condiliar hearings. He just knew that Ms. Rice was feeding him 100% pure bullshit and dancing her way around unpleasant truths.

Look at the concentration in that pic. (Ooooh!) That big brain engaged fully. (Thinking about helmet laws. Wear a friggin helmet on that bike this summer. I can't stand the thought that something would happen to that big squishy frontal lobe.)

Yup, definitely need a vacation in the Highlands. The Fringe Festival should do it. But still, I mean really, Sigh! Deep thoughts, I just love it. Now there's a guy I trust with the future of the Nation.

[DoBotherMe]

14. I know ... I just can't think straight when I

see him (think about him). I'm telling you when I saw (smelled) him up close and personal at the rallies I ALMOST LOST MY MIND. I was screaming (everyone was) giving him hallelujahs and praise the lords. The energy field he has around him is explosive. His guys in Nam were blessed to have him as their officer ... he's fearless. Hell, he's ruined me for any other man. D ; ) (My god, I just ramble)

[ginnyinWI]

16. mentioning Condi reminded me of something else in the book

She has the habit of shaking her head "no" while she is making statements--ever notice that? Little side to side shakes. Well that is a sure sign of lying--it's as if their words lie, but the head denies it.

Another tip-off: when someone makes grandiosestatements about their own sterling character, it's a sign that they don't have one! Like how she scolded Sen. Boxer for "impuning her integrity" and acted all offended. That's a sign of a liar. But we knew that!

As for JK, I share your "oooh". He's got it ALL. :)

[LittleClarkie]

10. In that last picture

I see two things in Bush. He's got that perma-smirk lopesided stroke face happening.

He's also right in the middle of doing that thing with his head and neck that makes him look like a chicken.

[TayTay]

12. "Wanna buy some wood?"

What a friggin moron. I seriously wondered what Non-US folks thought.

Ah here we have a Statesman and a idiot debating. Notice how the Statesman stands straight and tall and so intelligent and well-spoken. Notice how the idiot can't seem to get through a single sentence without indulging his moronic pension for making goofy faces. Notice how the Statesman carries himself with pride and confidence and manages to answer in complete, well-thought out sentences that indicate erudition and experience. Notice how the idiot answers questions as though he were a frat boy hanging around a liquor store trying to get someone to buy for him.

Ugh, tell me again who won? I'm telling yah, America is gonna wake up from this bender, rub it's throbbing forehead, look at what it's sleeping next too and having a screaming hissy fit. ("Holy Mother of Gawd, how drunk was I last night? I can't believe I went home with Thumpy the boy-Squirrel when I could have had that gorgeous, smart, compassionate guy Kerry. I must have been drinking sterno or something.") There isn't enough aspirin in the world for the hangover we're gonna get.

[ginnyinWI]

13. LOL

So true, TayTay. It's still so unbelievable. What has this country become anyway. Too ignorant to see what's really going on (see my sig quote!).

edit: by the way, I applied these standards while watching Sen. Reid today and he passed with flying colors: he held his palms outstretched and turned up, he pointed, he waved his arms around, etc. like JK does. Reid's a very sincere man, bless him!

[TayTay]

15. I like Reid too!

He is so soft spoken. (His nickname in the Dem Caucus is 'Pinky'. Love that.) The Rethugs may have 2 & 2/3rds branches of the government, all the friggin money in the world and the media, but we have the awesome power of 'Pinky' to combat them. (Looses something in the translation, I fear.)

Seriously, he is an understated man which is fine by me. He seems to be tough as nails. Kerry2008 was telling me that Sen. Kerry was at Reid & Pelosi's press conference today to lend support. I hope they all work together now to just stuff the 'thugs.

[ginnyinWI]

17. He was at the press conference?

Aw,darn it, now I have to search Cspan and try to find it! Can't watch it all day waiting for JK sightings.

[europegirl4jfk]

18. "I seriously wondered what Non-US folks thought."

Well, TayTay, I can tell you an anecdote about that. I became first interested in US politics in the months after 9/11 and the first ever speech by Bush or any US president I saw live and in English on TV (CNN International) was the State of the Union speech in 2002. And honestly, I couldn't stop laughing during the whole speech. It was in the middle of the night and I had to restrain myself because my laughter would have woken my family. I thought: "That's what an American president is like?!" Of course, I know now, that it's NOT what an American president is like. That it's only this moron Bush, and that a real statesman like Kerry would represent your country so much better and with so much more dignity. *sigh*

I can still laugh sometimes when I see Bush (and especially during the debates), but much less now that I understand better what's at stake for America and the rest of the world with this guy in the White House. When he was (s)elected in 2000 and my American online friends complained about the Supreme Court decision, I didn't get the seriousness of it. We too, in France or Germany, have sometimes politicians elected that aren't good for the country, but they never do too much damage and are voted out after a few years if they are too horrible. Bush is a real nightmare and I feel so sorry for you guys... and especially for John Kerry who really deserved to be your president.

[TayTay]

19. Thanks, you are so great!

Perhaps, when America regains her senses, the rest of the world will be ready to forgive us this Bush insanity. I watched the Pres debates and I was actually embarressed to have that Idiot up on the podium with Senator Kerry. Kerry was just so much better than that drooling moron. Sigh! (That first debate made me giddy.)

Americans go through stages. We always have. There have always been these periods of 'The Great Revival' in our history. It comes from the religious founding of the nation. Every so often America remembers this strong Christian religious tradition and goes with the intolerance side of the strain. Then this side over-reaches and it brings the other Great American strain of social justice back into the mainstream. This has been repeated over and over again in our history. Conservative movements tend to last about 40 years. If you date this one from 1968 and Richard Nixon, we are due to turn over again in the next four year. It is a long process because no side ever gives up power without a fight. Power, here as in the rest of the world, is taken, not given up.

America will correct course. Believe in that. It will happen and relatively soon. (It's in the nature of power to over-reach. When that happens, a new cyle starts.)

[europegirl4jfk]

20. Of course, the world will forgive America!

The world forgave the Germans the Nazi insanity, something much much more horrible, and as it is my native country, I'm grateful for that. BTW, I watched the debates with my Californian friend Fern and we were both so nervous that she brought a Tequila bottle for every debate. LOL After 2 or 3 glasses it was easier for us to watch.

I sometimes have a bit of trouble to understand the religious tradition in the USA. We in Western Europe left religion more and more behind since the Enlightenment, at least its public display. That doesn't mean that we gave up all our traditions, but if people are still religious that's something strictly private. But America is still a young nation compared to many countries in "old" Europe.And I'm sure that America will correct the course... and maybe Kerry will get a second chance. I hope it for him!

[whometense]

23. You know what I'm thinking.

Looking at the latest polls makes it even harder to believe he was actually elected. In fact, I believe it less now than ever. Not that that helps much...

[sandnsea]

21. Aw, ginny, pitter pat

That is AWESOME. You know what's coming...

Can I put it all on a permanent page and make a blog post? I just love it!!!

[ginnyinWI]

22. sure you can

and welcome to it! :)