What are they selling?
Some people will come to us – the wonderful heretics – with words that feel right. They may tell us things are not as they are. Then they will offer to sell you something better. If they are selling something, it may be snake oil, so apply some of that doubt you have been saving up before you and your money are parted.
The “What are they selling?” test is a good one for spotting deception and misleading articles (aka fake news).
Often, deceivers come to you in a white hat, claiming to help, and promoting the truth “they don’t want you to know”. They will claim that established organisations – big pharma, for example – are suppressing the truth. That is when you notice that this narrative supports whatever it is that they are selling.
What they are selling might be literal snake oil, but can as easily be a political party, an agenda, extremism, fear, their special blend of essential oils, or anything else that is not in your interests at all.
To discern the fibbers, look for what it is they are selling.
#hiddenAgenda #snakeOil