WHEN YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW. YOU KNOW? ~~~~~ THE ART OF DOUBLE SPEAK

Have you ever asked someone a question, and after they answered it, you were still just as confused as when you started? This round about method of communication is called Double Speak. Read on to learn more about it and how to spot it! 

Beware of Double Speakers

 If it is done with a malicious intent, it is considered Double Speak. If a person speaks this way this because they are lonely, socially awkward, absentminded or on medication for example, it is not considered to be coming from a malicious space and thus is not categorized as Double Speak.

​ Why do some people talk like this?  When a person speaks this way with a malicious intent in mind, it is because they are able to avoid a question  entirely or simply answer a part of it, veiled in language that distracts and goes off topic at every opportunity. This can be done with great success to the point that the person who has asked the question has forgotten all about it, and become entirely caught up in the new topic of conversation!  

How do I know someone is speaking this way? The easiest way to spot a Double Speaker is to listen to them talk to you after having asked them a question. Do they get to the point? Has your question been answered in a timely manner, or are they giving you multiple examples and stories that only seem vaguely related to what you asked? For example: you ask the basic meaning behind a symbol they are wearing expecting a quick answer.  What you get instead, is a 30 minute rambling detailing a personal story of how the symbol relates to them, the universe, and the social and political meanings of it, before they change the topic and ask you something totally unrelated.  At no point has the person actually answered your question! This is a sure sign of a Double Speaker!

Why is it important to be able to spot this type of speaker? This type of person is a master at manipulation. They are able to make people believe that they possess more knowledge than they do. They are able to put themselves in a position of power by doing this. When you are able to spot this speech pattern, it is like a light bulb going off.  In the workplace, this Double Speaker shows a good game face, but behind the scenes they may be late with their work or trying to pass off mistakes onto others. Whether you are in a higher executive position or are a co-worker, being able to spot them allows you to clearly see the person for whom they are. You can quickly see their tricks and avoid them, or in the case of hiring management positions, decide if this person is suited for their current position or a new one.

In your personal life, with your newfound ability to spot this Double Speaker, you can quickly categorize people and decide where they fit for you, whether it is in your dating life or with friends and family.  Double Speakers within friends and family are apt to use Emotional Blackmail to further enhance their abilities. Using language as their weapon of choice, they are able to verbalize a reality in which they are being oppressed and hurt, and at the same time transform details and events as they actually occurred with their Double Speak, convincing people that they are in fact the innocent party and the victim.

No one wants to be a victim of a Double Speaker and people who employ Double Speak have lots of practice being undetected, but if you learn to spot the signs of a Double Speaker, you can save yourself much heartache and pain and increase your clarity of thought.